Unfortunately, the world is going through some morally challenging times right now. The events occurring in the middle east currently beckon back to the days of the Iraq war. It has become the main focus of the news cycle for the last few weeks, the coverage is ubiquitous.

Yet, if you ask most students, they probably couldn’t find Syria on a map much less know the cause of the current escalation in the volatile region. America’s obsession with celebrity, pop culture and social networking are perhaps the culprit here, but is there a deeper agent at work?

Although some would argue that technology has provided us with the potential for mass communication on a scale never seen before, I would argue that that potential is nothing more than another pitch to sell smartphones if it never comes to fruition, and we’re falling for it hook, line, and sinker.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad allegedly authorized the use of sarin gas near the capitol of Damascus on August 21. Miley Cyrus made her appearance at the VMAs on August 25. Which did you hear about first? Did you stop and give both the same amount of attention? Did rush and tell you family and freinds about it? Did you even care?

Sure the latter proved entertaining and made for some interesting fodder at the water cooler, but it probably didn’t make one iota of difference in your life other than one more like (or dislike) on your Facebook page. Is ignorance truly as blissful as it looks on TV? I believe a page out of history would serve us well here.

During the civil rights movement, colleges were a breeding ground for political activism. In the days of the Vietnam war, students protesting with sign in hand were part of the strong imagery. These were the days when people would seek information, without the internet mind you, find the truth out for themselves, and fight for the issues important to them, in person. We have no excuse not to do our part, or at the very least be aware of what’s going on outside our bubbles.

However, not all hope is lost. I believe we can come back from this and give our generation a good name. More young people voted in the last election than in the historic 2008 election with 19% of the electorate, according to a National Exit Poll conducted by Edison Research, despite new voter ID laws aimed at suppressing college student voters, but that’s another story. It’s never too late to make our contribution to society and have our voices heard. After all, it was Thomas Jefferson who once famously said, “Democracy demands an educated and informed electorate.” Let’s not disappoint.