Editorial: Get informed
We live in a new age of globalization. The advent of the internet is as large a contribution to our means of communication as written language. Between communication, transportation, and economics, our world is increasingly interconnected. The actions we take as individuals, as well as nations, can have a profound effect on others locally and globally respectively. This is not a political piece, but rather a sociological one: get informed … we cannot afford to make missteps.
We've written before about the importance of voting and the effect you as an individual can have in your country and therefore the world. The selection during this election doesn’t get much more dichotomous—a socialist at one end of the spectrum and a demagogue on the other. Although who even knows what Mr. Trump believes. Who we elect for the next four years (likely eight) will change our lives and the lives of those around the world. So get informed. We live in the age of information. A quick google search will give dozens of articles on each candidate. Who we elect could determine whether we go to war or pursue peace. Our relations with countries will be reliant upon the actions of the man or woman we put in the oval office. This is not a decision you have the privilege to merely observe. It’s an obligation as a member of a democratic nation to get educated and vote. The nation depends on it.
However, go further. Be informed about the world as a whole. Every country will be relevant at some point. We carry the world’s information in our pockets. No library or archive can compare to the vast amounts of knowledge available to each and every one of us. Use it. Don’t take our wealth of knowledge for granted. In this ever-globalizing world, everyone should understand the diversity of human civilization. It is this lack of understanding that leads to prejudice and ultimately oppression. Newsflash: Not all Muslims are terrorists so deportation is not required. Study the people of the world and why they believe what they believe.
Don’t rely on the information that is handed to you. Seek it out on your own. Don’t assume anything without very good reason. Fact check everything to prevent being duped. Especially in the politics of Washington, people will try to convince you of facts that may not be true. You have a brain. Use it. Doing otherwise is an insult to humanity. Don’t let others cheat you by feeding you misinformation. Nothing is more powerful than knowledge.
Educate yourself; many facets of the future look bleak. But through the power of an educated populace, we can change that. If an educated, well-informed population takes a stand on any issue, we win. However, if we continue to care more about the new show on Netflix than we do climate change, political corruption, discrimination, poverty, terrorism, then we’ve already lost. We’ve failed as a society.
In this age of information and communication, an individual stands with the power of Caesar.
This editorial reflects the collective opinion of the LSNews.org editorial board. It does not constitute an official position of the Lampeter-Strasburg School District.
--THE EDITORIAL BOARD (AD)
We've written before about the importance of voting and the effect you as an individual can have in your country and therefore the world. The selection during this election doesn’t get much more dichotomous—a socialist at one end of the spectrum and a demagogue on the other. Although who even knows what Mr. Trump believes. Who we elect for the next four years (likely eight) will change our lives and the lives of those around the world. So get informed. We live in the age of information. A quick google search will give dozens of articles on each candidate. Who we elect could determine whether we go to war or pursue peace. Our relations with countries will be reliant upon the actions of the man or woman we put in the oval office. This is not a decision you have the privilege to merely observe. It’s an obligation as a member of a democratic nation to get educated and vote. The nation depends on it.
However, go further. Be informed about the world as a whole. Every country will be relevant at some point. We carry the world’s information in our pockets. No library or archive can compare to the vast amounts of knowledge available to each and every one of us. Use it. Don’t take our wealth of knowledge for granted. In this ever-globalizing world, everyone should understand the diversity of human civilization. It is this lack of understanding that leads to prejudice and ultimately oppression. Newsflash: Not all Muslims are terrorists so deportation is not required. Study the people of the world and why they believe what they believe.
Don’t rely on the information that is handed to you. Seek it out on your own. Don’t assume anything without very good reason. Fact check everything to prevent being duped. Especially in the politics of Washington, people will try to convince you of facts that may not be true. You have a brain. Use it. Doing otherwise is an insult to humanity. Don’t let others cheat you by feeding you misinformation. Nothing is more powerful than knowledge.
Educate yourself; many facets of the future look bleak. But through the power of an educated populace, we can change that. If an educated, well-informed population takes a stand on any issue, we win. However, if we continue to care more about the new show on Netflix than we do climate change, political corruption, discrimination, poverty, terrorism, then we’ve already lost. We’ve failed as a society.
In this age of information and communication, an individual stands with the power of Caesar.
This editorial reflects the collective opinion of the LSNews.org editorial board. It does not constitute an official position of the Lampeter-Strasburg School District.
--THE EDITORIAL BOARD (AD)
