Current events are an important part of today's society for many reasons. They become part of our history if we like it or not and we learn something new everyday about how the world works locally, nationally and internationally.
Even as rumors circulate about the decline of the newspaper industry, this does not mean that information itself is dead. The Web is now a very popular way of accessing information, and new apps for phones, iPads and other technologies are allowing people to absorb information quicker without turning to a newsstand or their remote.
Obviously it is impossible to know everything that happens within a day, but that does not mean it is an excuse to be ignorant.
Just last week I walked in on my two housemates talking about the Dalai Lama's upcoming visit to Miami University. They both went on and on about how each of their teachers are encouraging them to go to the event, yet neither of them a) knew who the Dalai Lama is, b) knew why he is a prominent figure in the United States and overseas and c) understood that his real name is not "Dalai Lama" on his birth certificate.
This made me curious to know, just how informed are we as students? Yes, we may attend a university to attain a degree, but the information we read in our textbooks is simply not enough.
Those who study how to report on current events (i.e. journalists) don't always stay up to date either. Just last year, a majority of my journalism class could not name the current Secretary of State, the current White House Chief of Staff or the current Secretary of Defense.
But here's an even more fun fact: A 2005 Businessweek survey declared, "Today's U.S. workforce is the most educated in the world." Five years later, a Marist poll showed that one in four Americans don't even know who the United States declared its independence from.
The shocking thing is, in these last five years, even 10 years, the way young adults can verify information has become simpler and more accessible. So why aren't we taking advantage of that?
It won't hurt to pick up a newspaper or subscribe to The New York Times online version. Even Twitter can give you excerpts of information right on your phone.
It's necessary to stay on top of current events and even become more educated on so-called "hot topics" happening all around us everyday, whether it be in a classroom, at home talking with friends or in a social setting.
So go out there, read some headlines, share links on Facebook, whatever it takes to make our young society more aware of issues at hand. Even a trivia night at Skipper's might get those brain cells working.
Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter
Read More
How one professor and her classes are preserving Oxford’s Black history
By Sean Scott | March 20, 2024Jazma Sutton, an assistant professor of history, teaches The Black Midwest (HST 350Q) and Black Women in America (HST 450D) classes. In both courses, she has students working with the Smith Library of Regional History and Miami’s archives to document and preserve Black history in Oxford.
Miami faculty members recount Freedom Summer in new documentary
By Luke Macy | February 25, 2022After seven years of work, “Training for Freedom,” a documentary highlighting Oxford’s involvement in the Freedom Summer of 1964, premiered on PBS Western Reserve on Valentine’s Day.
“Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic”: History in the making
By Alice Momany | August 29, 2021In March 2020, Miami University’s archives launched “Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic,” a collection focused on life during the COVID-19 pandemic.