I love to travel. I love to experience other cultures and witness other traditions. Something that I dislike about entering another “world” as an American is the overall sensation of ignorance I feel. “I support George Bush’s decision in Iraq” one Italian man told me when I was in Portofino, Italy. The war, I know that but do I support his decision? There’s more to the decision than just getting oil, right? I think?
The more I widen my horizons, the more I realize how ignorant my generation is, myself included. I could even be bold enough to say that it isn’t just eighteen year olds that couldn’t name the Speaker of the House or the Secretary of State. On November 4, 2008 I asked a woman what candidate she was going to vote for: “I’m not sure, I’ll probably go with Obama” was her response. Voting our leader is like ordering lunch? I think I feel like a hamburger…
This issue of ignorance goes far beyond politics. There are horrors all over our planet that few people are aware of. Why? Of course, the government shields details from Americans (if we knew everything we’d be in a constant state of panic), but why do we have the “its not in my backyard mentality”? I hate that!
Children, teenagers, teachers, parents, religious leaders, politicians are all to blame. We all either 1) sweep horrific knowledge under the rug and try very hard to forget about it or 2) go about our lives completely oblivious to everything beyond the next thing on our to-do lists. I’ve met teachers who spit “facts” out in their lectures that have no validity at all. False information is being spread as truth into the minds of the generation that will most likely not double-check it for accuracy.
This issue isn’t easily fixed, nor is probable to be fixed. It just really bothers me that Miss America and the kid in math class who doesn’t know our vice president’s name are the poster children for a country that should know better.
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