Musings

Ignorance in America

History class teaches us that in previous years the people of this nation not only knew current issues, but also were involved in them and stood up for their opinions. The current happenings of our world have gone by relatively unnoticed by the masses, and this is must change; the populace should be emboldened to not only use the new technology in this Age of Information to gather knowledge, but they should use this it to voice their opinions on the topics of their day and the days to come.
For many around the globe the era we have come to settle into what has been dubbed the Age of Information; however, as sad as it may be, this Age of Information is soon to become the Age of Ignorance. There may be immense amounts of information and numerous methods with which to gain enlightenment, but neither of these aspects seem to be improving upon the fact that there are millions of people who are unaware of the critical happenings of the world around them. This ignorance can be clearly seen in the youth of the nation
As for the people who have a clue as to what is happening around them, some just do not seem to care what happens. It is hard to grasp the concept that someone will completely ignore controversial subject that could very well affect a number of people, including the person himself. One should not ignore the 800-pound gorilla that may very well be a heated topic that affects many things. Ignorance is one thing, but apathy towards an important aspect of society is completely inexcusable and should not happen; people should realize that their voices and opinions are important, and should be heard by their peers.
This Age of Ignorance has set in even with the great developments in technology and science because people, especially the youth, of this nation have begun to use technology for things other than the gathering of information. Computers and the internet, are but a few of the methods that can now be used to learn about global issues; however, people have yet to stop playing “pinball”, and until then these numerous distraction will obstruct the movement of knowledge.
Many new improvements have been made in numerous areas including the transfer of ideas and media, but none of these improvements have changed the way people of this nation view the world.
The young minds inside the walls of our nation’s school tend to view the world through a very narrow. To many children, if the issue does not concern them, they will not bother with it, which is in some ways very selfish. This narrow mindedness has swept the nation’s schools; many students are not even aware of the happenings inside their school’s very own corridors. Not knowing the occurrences in one’s school is a very sad thing being that a student spends at least six hours inside those walls. This apathy towards the world and issues that may or may not affect you is not a good characteristic, and frankly something must be done to spark interest into the young minds of this nation in order to broaden the horizons for the future.
Although the youth of today have already begun to fall to the sharks of ignorance and apathy, our society can still save itself by making conscious decisions in order to become more aware of their surroundings. To ensure a brighter future one must start with the students; the classroom must facilitate and encourage a students potential to become a free thinker, which is exactly what this nation is all about.

posted by thethoughtless @ 4:28 PM 0 comments

Global Warming and Polar Bears

Recently the Bush Administration listed the polar bear, native to the icy waters of the Arctic, as and endangered species. This statement came from the White House shortly after the Bush Administration admitted, for the first time, that climate changes around the world are behind the potential extinction of many species, including polar bears. The government issued a statement saying, “ We've reviewed all the available data that leads us to believe the sea ice the polar bear depends on has been receding. Obviously, the sea ice is melting because the temperatures are warmer.” However, many people are questioning the Bush Administration’s overdue epiphany on the terrible consequences of the imminent global warming nightmare. If the problem is so “obvious”, then it should not have taken the government so long to admit to the predicament of the sudden climate change.
The final verdict regarding the polar bear’s admittance on to the endangered species list was in the hands of The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, and they have also proposed listing polar bears as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. Although the government has finally woken up and realized that changes in the climate may have something to do with the endangerment of many wild animals, The Bush administration still rejects the proven scientific thesis that human activity is contributing to global warming. Due to their stubbornness regarding the future and conservation of the environment, the US government has resisted capping greenhouse gas emissions, claiming that it is not beneficial for American businesses and workers. Greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, are produced by burning fossil fuels, which trap heat in the atmosphere. Experts claim that rising temperatures could raise sea levels and cause more droughts, floods and heat waves. The US’s opposition to the obviously beneficial reduction of greenhouse gas emissions also led them to reject the Kyoto Protocol, the famous document that was added on to the international treaty on climate change, assigning mandatory targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to the nation that ratified it. So far many countries, including Canada, Russia, India, and the countries making up the European Union, have ratified the document, and have begun to clean up the air hey breathe; however, America only remains a signatory of the amendment and therefore does not adhere to its many advantageous features. Without this valuable and useful guideline that will lead towards a healthier Earth, the US will have no chance in cleaning up its act, improving conditions for mother nature, and reducing the risks and consequences of global warming.
It is only recently that the US has become increasingly concerned about the environment, this time in the form of polar bears; however, without a plan to lower pollution and reduce the risk of global warming, what good will putting the polar bear on the endangered species list do? Being that the Bush Administration was late in realizing the problems of climate changes, they must take extra initiative to reduce the problems of global warming, which the entire world faces, and rescue the environment and animals, including the polar bear.

posted by thethoughtless @ 4:23 PM 0 comments