Appalling statistics on human trafficking in Cook County. A presidential election well on its way. Mass shootings and manhunts endangering all 50 states. Violence between the Israeli government and Hamas; even more between Russia and Ukraine. And thousands of Instagram and TikTok posts covering all of it. 

Our generation could easily be the most informed group of this nation’s voters yet. So why aren’t we? With access to every newspaper, organization, website, and public record in our pocket at all times, the lack of context that students still seem to have regarding real world issues is incredibly concerning. 

Students need to be more informed on everything happening in the world around them. We are well on our way to being registered voters—some of the seniors already are for the coming 2024 election cycle. The people we elect into office are meant to represent our beliefs. Without proper context to international conflicts, our votes can easily go to a candidate who doesn’t really represent what we actually believe in.

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas is a crucial example of said lack of context. Students went from posting stories on social media sending their condolences to Israel to sharing articles about violence towards Palestinians in the Gaza strip. Many of the students posting about topics like these very clearly have little to no position at all other than what the algorithm shows them every day. More often than not, the switch comes without any recognition at all of the sudden shift in opinion. Regurgitating one belief after the next with little to no consideration for the impact that these opinions have is incredibly harmful. 

It can undoubtedly be extremely difficult to pay attention to everything that’s happening in the world, but most important things don’t come easy. Reading daily about war, disease, shootings, corruption, and all the other atrocities occuring in our world would take a toll on anyone, especially high school students who are already burdened with so much in their own lives. However, while the real world tends to be incredibly disheartening, willful ignorance is downright dangerous. 

The problem at hand isn’t the beliefs students hold—the opinions people align with is up to them and them alone. The concerning element within the student body is solely the drastic and constant shift in opinion and its indication towards a lack of original thought. We have a right to our own opinions, but they should be formed through our own research as opposed to our social media algorithms.

As high schoolers, we are simultaneously in a crucial developmental stage and are also facing a sudden surge of newfound independence. We are at a paradoxical point where we are expected to act like adults while still being treated like children. There is no doubting the pressure students are already under; everything in our lives becomes flipped on its head during our freshman through senior years. Despite this, whether we like it or not, we are still evolving from “our country’s future” to “our country’s present day.” It is our responsibility to be prepared, knowledgeable, and independent in order to represent ourselves—and our nation—in the most accurate way possible.

Staff vote: 22-0