It seems that as technology advances, people want information to be available quicker and through several different mediums. Smartphones, wireless Int-ernet, iPods, iPads, etc, have all made this possible. Many people in society are literally walking around with miniature computers in their pockets.

Since we have access to so much information, it is even more important for people to take responsibility for keeping track of what is happening in the world. If we demand faster communication and news, we should utilize it.

Our world is in a constant state of change, whether it’s due to natural disasters, political unrest, or the state of the economy, and we need to stay informed.

Having several mediums to rely on doesn’t mean keeping up to date is an easy task. Some people stick to traditional media, such as The New York Times, while others rely on opinions from blogs or columns. There is so much available, so how do we keep track?

I’ll admit that even as a journalist, it gets difficult to keep up with current events. This is why it’s so important for people to take initative and time to learn about world events going on around them. Sometimes it is easy to think because something is happening on the other side of the world, it won’t affect people here. Proximity is relevant, of course, but everything has an effect.

A prime example of world news impacting our country is when nuclear radiation from the crisis in Japan was reportedly due to hit the West Coast. If people assumed it wasn’t in their best interest to be fully aware of the situation, they are seriously mistaken. It’s proof that events across the world do impact us, and this particular event is one that gained more attention around the world than most other events have.

What’s disheartening, though, is most of the time, we gravitate toward what sells, not what is important. The celebrity meltdowns, who wore what at the Oscars and what famous people slept together after they did a line of cocaine in a bathroom shouldn’t be news. Stories like this on the front page are deplorable.

Yes, the news can be depressing, but it is certainly not boring or something to ignore. Maybe celebrity gossip is people’s way of escaping harsh reality, but it’s putting themselves at a severe disadvantage.

Forcing yourself to be informed can help change this world for the better. It’s especially important to look at local, national and international news with a critical eye. Who knows when it could be time for a revolution of our own? Ignorance isn’t always bliss.