Co-Editor-In-Chief: Justin Morales
It’s remarkably easy to be overwhelmed by the modern world. As we witness substantial changes to technology, society, and politics, you might feel inclined to completely sever yourself from the feuds on social media or the depressing stories on the five o’clock news. But at present, it is imperative that students understand current events and educate themselves on the world crises– especially with the concerning rise of willful ignorance and anti-intellectualism in the U.S.
Recent national and international events, such as fatal acts of political violence, major conflicts between powerful political figures, and global conflicts hotly debated in the United Nations General Assembly, emphasize the importance of staying informed and educated.
As we witness a substantial divide between groups in American politics, confidence in the political system is abysmally low. People find politics emotionally draining. As of September 2023, the Pew Research Center reported that approximately 65% of Americans frequently feel “exhausted” when thinking about politics, contributing to a significant decrease in people’s confidence within the political system. In that same report, they identify that 63% have little to no confidence in the future of the political system.
As people lose faith in American politics, they may lose their desire to contribute or educate themselves on current political events, and as a result, these same people may resort to disconnecting themselves from political media and the coverage of global events. They may fuel their self-interest by only paying attention to issues that directly impact them, rather than focusing on the impact on the American people as a whole. This type of thinking goes beyond politics, as people are quick to avoid learning or discussing international affairs, such as international conflicts (like Gaza) or international policy changes (like recent changes regarding gender-affirming care in the United Kingdom). This purposeful disconnect from informative media contributes to a fundamental lack of empathy.
Younger Americans – like high school students – may feel certain political changes do not affect them or that they are unable to contribute to change if they are below the voting age.
Complacency is dangerous to the future of this nation, and it contributes to the ascent of anti-intellectualism within the United States. In an episode of her NPR talk show “It’s Been a Minute”, Brittany Luse describes an example of anti-intellectualism with guest Dr. Ally Louks, and simply defines the concept as the, “...hostility and mistrust towards academics, experts, and education.” Common examples include the renouncing of science and medicine within certain communities, the depreciation of humanitarian studies or studies of the arts, and the belittling of intelligence or expertise. This trend makes it uncool to be intelligent, and that kind of mentality contributes to the lack of innovation, problem solving, and critical thinking skills.
As students and future leaders, we should be the champions who support trends of learning and informed citizenship. We need to encourage people to care about issues greater than themselves and continue to pursue education as a potential tool towards solving the issues of our modern world. While we might be too young to vote, these trends can be addressed by encouraging a culture of learning. We must learn about global issues. We must learn about other groups of people and their struggles. We must engage in meaningful conversations about relevant, global issues that might just reach the right person. We must learn about world history and how previous changes have impacted modern society. We must learn about our rights and privileges. We can rely on our brains and voices to create solutions and push those solutions forward. We must promote cooperation. We must build these skills now, so that when our time comes to approach the ballot box, we can make an educated and an informed decision.