Knowledge is power and it can change the world

I’m that friend. The one who, if you say the wrong thing about current events or political figures, has to start a conversation about it. The one who went a little crazy when you admitted you weren’t sure if you were going to vote in the midterms. The one who seems to consider it their duty to make sure you know what’s going on in the world, even if you don’t really care. You know the friend I’m talking about.

I’m admittedly obsessed with the news. I love it. That’s encouraging, considering I’m attempting to start a career as a journalist. But for those of you who don’t like the news and who have no interest in writing for The New York Times someday, you’re not off the hook for not paying attention to the world around you. Actually, it’s even more important that you make an effort to know what is going on because your everyday life probably doesn’t focus on current events across the country and globe.

“The news is depressing.” I get it. Hearing and reading about wars, children separated from their parents, drug problems and more can debilitate your optimism and sour your mood. Taylor Swift and Post Malone create a lighter atmosphere during your morning commute, I know. Sad news doesn’t go away when you ignore it, though. Rather, as people become less aware and less involved, bad things are far more likely to occur. When you choose ignorance over awareness, you are essentially choosing to live like you’re in the movie “Bird Box,” blindfolded and fumbling around, hoping you are going in the right direction. If you’re going the wrong way, you won’t find out until it is too late.

Essentially, ignoring current events equates to handing off your right and privilege to influence the world around you. How are you going to change the world if you don’t even know about it? Don’t think about the news as a dark storm cloud that opens up every time you click on an article. Yes, bad things happen. But we need to know what is going on in the world so we can initiate change. As men, women, immigrants, people of every race and religion, we all want to live in a world that is good and fair and our home. We cannot have a place in this world if we don’t claim a spot. The only way to belong in this world is to try to make a mark.

We represent the youth, the educated, the hopefuls and the inspired. We have so many creative and innovative people entering college and the workforce right now. Every single person is born with different skills and assets they can offer. Maybe your job is to learn about issues in education, so when you become a teacher you’re equipped with the knowledge of these issues and prepared to combat them. Maybe your awareness of the #MeToo movement will be important when you send your son on his first date, so he knows that sexual assault is wrong and how to have a healthy relationship with his date.

I’m not asking you to obsess over the news in the same way that I do. I’m just asking you to check in every day or two. News outlets make it so easy to stay informed. They offer daily briefings by email, podcast and phone notifications. Take advantage of these streamlined news services if you don’t want to read the whole paper every day. These allow you to stay in touch without giving up your free time.

Knowing about the world around you is your obligation as a living, breathing person on this earth. Like it or not, the only way to effect change is to know what needs change. The idiom “ignorance is bliss” is bogus. The right motto is “knowledge is power.”

Chasity Maynard is a UF journalism freshman. Her column appears on Fridays.