Americans thrive off of entertainment. Pop culture rules the lives of teens and adults alike. Miley’s VMA performance, Lamar Odom’s rehab experience and turmoil with Khloe Kardashian, and the latest in Fantasy Football are considered “vital” information. Ironically, none of this material is important, which poses the question, “Why do we care?”
I would argue that if any ten people were asked about the devastation in Syria right now, less than half would be able to explain, even briefly, the situation. However, those same ten people could probably all explain, in detail, the Miley Cyrus VMA scandal. According to a Prison Planet article, on August 25th (the day of Miley’s performance), Miley’s Google peak rating went from 67 to 100 in less than 24 hours. In this same period of time, the US military moved cruise missiles into position to strike Syria after the Obama administration released news of the chemical attacks. The peak search value for chemical attacks in Syria actually fell, going from 4 to 3.
Most people I have conversed with on this topic blame the media for the ignorance of American people. If the situation in Syria was so dire, why did most news stations cover the Miley scandal instead? I would encourage all with this opinion to remember that media is a business; it supplies what the consumer demands. So who is really at fault here? News stations recognize that the public would rather hear harmless gossip than the murdering of thousands. I understand that people do not want to see hundreds of dead children on TV. The content is intense, so we would rather not hear about it. However, I do not believe this to be an excuse for ignorance.
American people need to educate themselves on political controversies, not only in Syria but other major issues as well. As a republic, the population has some say in government action. Our voices can be heard. But without sufficient knowledge and understanding, we have no voice.
I encourage you all to educate yourselves, not with pop fluff but vital issues in the world. It is important to know what is going on. Unlike some countries, Americans have the ability to stay informed and an abundance of means to do so! The internet is constantly at our fingertips; take advantage of it.
The Peruse 