We live in a generation of chaos and instant gratification. We want it, and we want it now. If we can’t have it now, we don’t want it at all. We have access to all the information for the unanswered questions at our fingertips. Technology runs our lives, and we get so caught up in being busy that we can forget to live or read about the world around us.
I hear a lot of people voice negative opinions regarding the future of America. As another presidential election rounds the corner, big changes are about to happen. As citizens of America, we need to know about these advancements. It is our right and duty to educate ourselves on what is going on around us. Our worlds are evolving, and decisions we make now are going to impact the lives of our children and grandchildren.
I am currently taking a class on Modern Middle Eastern History. It’s my last semester in undergrad, and I wanted to take a class that mattered. In the past decade, terror has risen from the Middle East in the form of radical extremists. I figured the worst thing that could happen taking the class is that I could learn something. Well, I have learned more in six weeks than I have in most college classes. I am building my knowledge of the Middle East by looking at their traditions and cultures and studying how they came about. One of my favorite moments while learning history is when you make sense of something and the light bulb in your head goes off.
As long as a person is keeping up-to-date with the world around them, you have done your part. When you go to vote in the presidential election in November, you should be able to make an educated vote. You need to look at that ballot and know the pros and cons of each candidate, or at least enough to make a cultured guess. Casting your vote may feel like it doesn’t go very far in the long run, but you have followed through with a right you have as an American. Think about it; there are places out there where people don’t have the right to vote. See how lucky you are?
No one can ever judge your opinions if you can back them up. Using unbiased sources will be more beneficial in the long run. I am registered as a Republican, but as I have grown older and learn more, I would say I am neither a Democrat nor Republican. I am me, and what I believe is what I believe. My favorite news sources that are pretty neutral, considering everything, are CNN, NPR (National Public Radio), Huffington Post, BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), or BuzzFeed News. I suggest you do your research. Find news sources that you feel are the most valuable, and stick to them.
Times are changing; no one can deny that. It is our job as the upcoming generation to watch the news, listen to the radio, or read a newspaper. The more we know, the better off we are in the face of terror or a crisis. I believe current events are the future. Think about it; news and the media are so prominent in our lives. We are always checking Twitter or Facebook. Instead, read an article about a poverty-stricken country or the recent refugee crisis. Fill up your social media site with something meaningful instead of Starbucks or gym check-ins. You might just learn something.
Just remember the wise words of Stephen Hawking, “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”
