Ignorance is bliss. Now, I'm not a huge fan of cliches, but I don't think many people can argue with that statement. I'm happier when I'm kept in the dark. Who isn't? Bad things happen, people hurt each other, hurricanes ruin lives, and sometimes all of that information can get too hard to bear. So we distract ourselves. We find hobbies and interests -- all good things -- that we can fill our time with. Our conversations revolve around music, movies, and sports. Sometimes we might dig deep enough to actually talk about life. Perhaps not in specific ways but in that vague cloud of speech that is customary of transcendental philosophy professors.
And when we do talk about current events, it's often as though we're removed from the situation. We may acknowledge that whatever is happening is bad. But it's going on over there, and we're over here. Hopefully, it'll straighten itself out in time. I think some of this apathy may be born out of a sense of powerlessness; there's not much I can do to help someone halfway across the world, so I don't want to hear about something I can't fix.
I don't want to know that people are dying at the hands of ISIS because that reminds me of all the fragility, cruelty, and senselessness in this life. And that's terrifying.
The thing is, we can't remove ourselves from the problems woven into this world no matter how we try. Luke Skywalker tried that. Turning off the TV or flipping to a different radio station (am I behind on the times if I still use the radio?) won't make the bad things go away or stop happening.
The cool thing about being a part of humanity is the fact that our community is seven billion strong. And we have an obligation to take care of our community. We have an obligation to know the struggles in our community, and to do anything within our power to overcome them. We have an obligation to help others, and if we can't do that directly, to inform those who can.
Living in the dark is much easier. I'd rather not know about sex trafficking, kidnapping, hate crimes, and religious persecution. I don't like to think about people stealing, or lying, or hurting others. But the reality is that things like that happen all the time, and you can only help if you're aware.
I don't like watching the news because it makes me sad. Pure and simple. But I'd rather be informed than turn a blind eye to suffering because a problem can only be dealt with if it's been identified.
Besides, in between tales of bloodshed and lying politicians, there are viral cat videos and stories of people doing extraordinary things to help others. There are cures for diseases and heartwarming videos of soldiers returning home. Life isn't always perfect, and we should be aware when it isn't. But we should also be aware of the little, beautiful things that give us reason and hope to work towards a better future.
So stay informed, friends.
