These past three years, it’s been hard to read the news. Every day, something new and scary happened and I was terrified. I still am. As a journalism major, it is even harder to be scared of the news because even though it scares you, you need it to survive. It’s a part of your life.
Photo Credit: TIME
Still, every time I look at the news, I’m worried I’ll see something I wish wasn’t real. That’s because there’s been a change these past three years. Not just in our politics, but in our culture and the way we think. The stigma has changed. People don’t feel the need to be culturally correct or check their biases anymore. Our world is an open hunting ground and we all are prey. It’s a scary place to live in now, and an even scarier place to read about. All of a sudden, reading those fictious novels gives you an oasis from the real nightmare we live in.
Photo Credit: Motionographer
It is a crazy world we live in, but after three years of playing hide-and-seek with the news, I’m here to tell you: it’s time to stop avoiding it. I know that’s the easy path (trust me, I do), but in a world where terrible things happen, it is important to stay educated.
Why? If you’re educated, at least you know what is out there now. You’re not in the dark about what is happening to your world and the people around you.
Photo Credit: Inc.com
Because at the end of the day, you’re not hiding from the news, you’re hiding from the truth. Truth is a very scary thing. There’s no denying it. The truth will set you free.
Yeah, I know I am. Look, it might be terrifying to read about the wars, racism, sexism, and ageism happening in this nation, but it’s still better than being shackled to the looming feeling of “why.”
It’s time to know why. It is hard to accept. This is where it gets a little harder. I wish that what was happening in the world was easier to understand. I really wish it made sense, but like I said, we’re living in a very different world so it will be difficult to accept. It truly won’t make sense, but hiding from it will not make the bad in the world go away. All it will do is allow you to stay in the unknown while the world moves on.
Don’t fall behind. Take charge! The news has done an amazing job cataloging all the changes that have been happening in this crazy world. So, if you took a “break” from the news, it’s all right, but it is time to get back on the horse.
Start reading. You don’t have to jump in head first, just start somewhere. Maybe an issue you are interested in? And go from there. Read how the world has changed since you last read about it.
It’s important today more than ever to read the news. Being educated is the one tool we can have in this crazy world, so do not let that slip away.
You got this! Take your time and read up on issues you care about, so no matter how crazy this world gets, you are never in the unknown.
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