Dear Brian,

I agree with many of your points, but I found your conclusion confusing. I believe ignorance and apathy are far more destructive to our society than a lack of culture.

What’s going on in Syria is a terrible situation. Our ignorance and apathy is making it worse. As a college student,

Did You Know…

• …many rebel factions are backed and affiliated with Al-Qaeda? (USA Today; USA Today)
• …American tax dollars are funding these factions? (Politico)
• …a Christian village was massacred, beheading of priests, and savage murders of civilians by these rebels? (New American; USA Today; American Overlook)
• …rebels claimed responsibility for the chemical weapons attack, but our government has continued to insist it was Assad (who denied involvement)? (McClatchy; Examiner)
• …Iran has threatened to retaliate with terrorist attacks, abductions, and attacks against Israel if America gets involved? (Daily Caller)
• …Russia has moved warships into the Mediterranean to counter U.S. military involvement? (Times of Israel)
• …Our closest ally, Great Britain, refuses to get involved? (NBC News)
• …Pope Francis condemned U.S. military involvement? (LA Times)

Syrian Rebels (and the Syrian Army) agree U.S. Military intervention won’t help. (Telegraph)

Where are the public protests against our Nobel Peace Prize winning President? Where are the impassioned cries for peace from our movie stars, students, and peace activists?  The people who cried bloody murder when Bush intervened in Iraq are now deathly silent. President Obama event stated if Congress votes against military force, he still will consider military involvement—an unconstitutional act. (Washington Post).

College students spend hours following sports, Hollywood gossip, or playing video games. Why won’t we take the time to follow these issues that affect the lives of millions?

A few decades ago, college students might scoff at the students of today. Throughout much of history, higher learning was associated with an interest in current events, politics, and foreign policy. Now the mere mention of these things results in glares, anger, and mockery. Just try sharing something about politics on Facebook.

Twenty years ago, college meant spending hours at the library pouring over books and academic journals, learning and researching. It’s been replaced with the first page of Google.

We’ve obsessed over these life changing tools without ever considering the cost. We continue to ignore the peer-reviewed papers warning of “digital dementia”, spellchecker killing our ability to spell, deterioration of communication, and subsequently our relationships—all thanks to an over reliance on technology.

I appreciate you bringing attention to our over sensitivity of trivial things. But, I don’t think being more cultured is the solution. We need to become active participants of our pursuit of knowledge. We can’t continue to brush world events aside, hoping someone else will solve the problem.

To quote the Ancient Greek statesman Pericles, “Just because you don’t take an interest in politics, doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you.”