In 1347, The Black Death began to consume Europe, murdering millions of people. In 1945, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were decimated by atomic bombs, leaving little trace of the cities that once stood there. In 2016, we lost Harambe.

It is no secret that the year 2016 was a struggle for most life forms on Earth. Amidst the crazy world of politics, unthinkable tragedies have rocked our world, possibly even changing how we perceive certain aspects of our community. Perhaps even changing these perceptions for the worst.

You, dear reader, already know this to be true. Politics have not just divided us, but actively attack the relationships we once took pride in establishing. The "guilty-until-proven-innocent" mindset is plaguing how we communicate with our fellow person. We are not even capable of escaping into the world of entertainment anymore without an unfunny "Ghostbusters" reboot pitting us against each other (sorry I didn't laugh at your ghost queef joke, "Ghostbusters." I had no idea that I was a sexist until the internet told me I am for not liking a movie. #ghostqueefsmatter, right everybody?)

Before I continue, let me introduce myself a little bit. It isn't fair for me to stand atop a soap box while hiding behind the wall of anonymity that is the internet. I'm a 22-year-old college student with a very vague idea of my future. An old flame was the first person to ever call me “naive” and I think she might have been on to something. Disney fireworks make me cry and Long Island Iced Teas are my jam.

I am as average as a person can get. My importance to society ranks above the nice homeless man down the block, but below the wealthy lawyer whose face is plastered onto the bench that the homeless man sleeps on. I have no right to tell others how to think, what to feel, or how to live. How am I expected to write an article like this and pretend to know what I am talking about when I don't really have much of an opinion on Brexit? Or Zika? Or Game of Thrones?

How am I supposed to live in an increasingly opinionated society with my increasing level of ignorance?

The word “ignorant” has such a harsh sound nowadays. To be labeled “ignorant” is to be labeled “guy who yells the loudest about something he has absolutely no idea discussing” or “basking in a superiority complex.” According to Webster's, the definition of “ignorance” is the following:

“lack of knowledge, education, or awareness.”

I look at this definition and I question how such a simple idea can be construed so harshly. With 2016 drawing to close, I realize now that this might be the best time to say this: we all carry a level of ignorance. I carry it. You carry it. Your family carries it. Your significant other carries it. Those that have died carry it. Those that have yet to be conceived carry it.

Not a single one of us has all of the answers, and if my ignorance proves me wrong, please, beautiful stranger, step forward and fix the world that we have caused with our own attitudes. Society is imploding and it is all our fault.

Going back to the introduction of this article, politics has sunk its grimy claws into us and have divided us to such an extent, even Batman and Superman would bond over how stupid this all is. But is it the politics fault or is it our fault for letting politics do this to us?

I didn't see any political figure personally walk up to my friends and I and decide to start throwing fists. You have every right to be upset if your candidate lost, and you have every right to be happy if your candidate won. I'm not saying that you should be feeling a certain way about this election.

What I'd like you to take away from this article is just how much of an impact we let things affect us nowadays. Don't worry, this entire point doesn't stem from *just* the world of politics, it's just a really easy target nowadays. The political world right now is a freak show and it is hard to be satisfied with all one hundred percent of the outcome.

I really want us to carry this mantra with us through all aspects of life. We must remember that we all carry a certain layer of ignorance. We may grow, change, evolve (insert another synonym here,) but when we draw our last breath, we'll have to think -- will it be out of satisfaction of living a full life or hatred of how cruel the world can be? There is not a worst generation or a better generation, no matter what your Grandpa Eustice says in his rocking chair.

We are all flawed, we are all ignorant, we are all selfish. We continue to let society sink further and further into this divide even when doing it unknowingly. When will we finally rise up and accept each other for what we ultimately are -- ignorant? Fortunately, I like to view ignorance as a blessing rather than a curse. An ignorant person with a desire to learn is how we advance as a species. The one way to battle ignorance is by embracing it wholeheartedly.

The United States of America was established a little over two hundred years ago. Think about how young that is. Think about how far we have come in just that short amount of time. Think of all of the places we have seen, accomplishments we've achieved, hardships we have endured. We have been put through the ringer and yet we still are perceived as “the Land of Opportunity.” America is still a dream for so many wanting to be a part of it.

Now think about how far we can continue with a desire to better ourselves.

Maybe I'm just naive, but I'd like to think there is so much more good in the world than evil. The rage-filled social media posts being the ones more capable of eliciting a response than the weird memes with a random minion on it from "Despicable Me" that my aunt keeps posting. It is easier to remember the guy that cuts you off in traffic than the guy that holds the door open for you at the store.

However, even with all of the pain that comes with life, there is so much joy to be found. Yesterday, I spent the day at Walt Disney World with a girl I am crazy about, her brother whom I am crazy about, and her brother's girlfriend whom I am crazy about getting to know better. We all had an amazing time, making memories whenever possible, and even when an attraction broke down, our happy naivety left us smiling rather than demanding our money back. It's amazing how often joy can be found if you just happen to look for it. By abandoning our desire to appear superior and embracing the idea to grow instead, we can learn so much about ourselves and the community around us.

I'd like to leave the last few weeks of 2016 with a challenge -- instead of ending this disgustingly awful year on a disgustingly awful note, let's all embrace our inner ignorance. While hearing something you disagree with, listen to your neighbor. Let's all accept our eagerness to selfishly point fingers and instead desire to learn more. Smile more. Laugh a little harder. Debate a little more intelligently.

No, this mindset will not prevent tragedy, but it is beneficial to your sanity and ultimate well-being. Yes, there is a lot to be upset about right now, and some tool writing a website article isn't going to make anything better, but there is simply too much to discuss and learn from each other to not even try. We've created a broken society, therefore, we can fix it. This won't be an overnight change, obviously, but change only needs a step in the right direction to begin.

This is such an amazing country filled with such a diverse and talented collection of people. We should be above throwing it all away. Yes, the 22-year-old that had to look up how to spell “quinoa” is telling you we can be better. Maybe I am just some naive kid that doesn't know anything. That very well could be the case. However, I like to live my life with a smile on my face and a desire to be better tomorrow than I am today. Am I a perfect person? Far from it and please don't let anything I say trick you into thinking I am. I am a flawed human being with dreams, fears, insecurities, strengths, and above all else, ignorance.


Is there anybody else out there like me? Step forward now and let's learn.