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This week we’re sharing you the issues in today’s world that concerns us most…
‘Truthiness’ concerns me. My public affairs reporting class had us read this book called “True Enough: Learning to Live in a Post-Fact Society” by Farhad Manjoo and it really opened my eyes to the concept of “truthiness” coined by, believe it or not, Stephen Colbert.
People don’t even care about whether their opinions are factual anymore. Things are “true enough” to satisfy people and they surround themselves with like-minded people so that they are never exposed to other mindsets. And when they are, they fight it tooth and nail, wrong or not. We have access to all this information and yet confine ourselves to blogs and news sites that just regurgitate our beliefs back at us. News sources are becoming increasingly biased and finance political campaigns (think Fox News) when in the past, journalists weren’t even supposed to have political bumper stickers on their cars or campaign signs in their yards.
Its no wonder news consumers are so close-minded. As a journalist and as a news consumer myself, this scares the crap out of me.
- Daylina Miller, Campus Correspondent, University of South Florida
Everything that has been going on in Egypt concerns me. This is the first time in my lifetime that I have seen something like this happen. The people have truly spoken and stood strong in what they want and believe should happen. I just find all of it absolutely fascinating.
- Krista Evans, Campus Correspondent, Simmons College
Currently, I am most concerned about the job market. Seeing as I am graduating in May I am keeping a keen eye on the economy and how jobs are either rising or declining. It’s tough because while some outlets say jobs are getting better for graduates it’s a little sad to hear that older people are losing the jobs that are opening for us younger workers.
- Caroline Bagby, Campus Correspondent, UMass Amherst
I am concerned about global education for girls and young women. Today, 25% of youth in developed countries don’t attend school and of the 130 million uneducated youngsters 70% of them are girls. As collegeittes™, we are so privileged to pursue our dreams through institutions of higher education. Our mothers dreamed that we be able to achieve our aspirations and our global sisters should be able to do the same, let alone be free to marry whomever they want and receive adequate health and maternal care. Do your part to change the world by visiting http://www.shesthefirst.org and starting a campus branch at your college or university.
– Gennifer Delman, Contributing Writer, Hofstra University
The revolutions in the Middle East!
- Savina Velkova, Campus Correspondent, Pomona College
One of the current issues that concern me the most is social security benefits and healthcare. I keep hearing about how current college students are going to have to work until we’re way older than we’d like, because our social security won’t be enough to live off of. That definitely scares me, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for something to change so that doesn’t become true!
Another current issue that really concerns me as a collegiette™ is the economy… I’m graduating in 3 months (ahh!), and hoping to find some kind of paying job. But the economy still isn’t in great shape, and many of my friends who graduated last year and the year before still don’t have the jobs they were hoping to have by now (or any job at all, for some of them…!). So I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that the economy gets better soon, or that I can somehow be lucky enough to find a good job after graduation!
- Cassidy Quinn Brettler, Video Blogger, Emerson College
I am really concerned about kids using technology. There should be a strict age limit to social media websites because young teens do not understand the consequences of exploiting themselves and their friends on the Internet. Something posted on the web could be deleted from one page, but can never truly be erased and will ultimately resonate with others through reputation, which could and has lead to suicides and other dangers.
– Leigh Maneri, Campus Correspondent, Quinnipiac University