by Audrey Carroll

Many people are familiar with the phrase, “Ignorance is bliss.” I used to agree with this statement, holding to my belief that innocence in youth was when people were really allowed to be themselves, that we can just shield ourselves from things we’re scared of. However, as I got older and was exposed to the “real world,” I realized that ignorance was actually shielding me from the true world. I was not living in the utopia I created in my mind where everything was perfect.

The world is full of conflict, war, poverty, hunger and many other upsetting issues that are, quite frankly, unpleasant for us to think about. That’s a fact. And when we try to think of ways we can help solve these issues, we often turn away feeling hopeless that anything we do will actually change these problems.

This is the issue with ignorance.

Turning away from issues because you’re uncomfortable with them, or feel useless in the situation,  actually makes it worse. When major problems are not addressed, nothing in society can advance politically, socially or economically. Blinding yourself from reality is much more harmful than helpful. In order to participate in society, people need to be informed on what is happening in the world around them – which can be anything from politics to the environment – in order to discuss these topics with others and find ways to make our current systems better for the world.

Staying informed can help create a smarter, more well-run society, and this all starts with teenagers. As young adults, most of us are starting to become familiar with our personal values and interests and in order to fuel this process, teenagers must do their best to stay informed through the news, the radio and/or social media. How can you form your own opinion on a topic you know nothing about? People always put pressure on teenagers because it is our generation that will soon be the leaders of the nation, and even the world! While the pressure can be paralyzing at first, we need to take peoples’ expectations and rise above them. We must inform ourselves about  what’s happening in the world to take actions to make our future society as best as we see fit.

When you become informed, you are more in tune with the world around you. Curiosity and the willingness to learn helps spark a desire to be informed on certain events or topics. Staying informed promotes individuality by creating opportunities for people to shape and build on their beliefs. These beliefs and values then turn into passions, and although the world’s problems may give us doubt, this passion helps drive actions towards making significant changes in the world– changes that never could have been made with ignorance.