By: Paolo Ramos / Staff Writer
On Jan. 24, 2011, a blast rocked an airport in Moscow, Russia. At least 40 people were killed and over 100 were injured. Although no one has claimed responsibility, Russians suspect the bombing to be an act of terrorism by the Causcus, who have been known culprits of terrorism in the past.
Also happening at this time, are the riots in Egypt to overthrow the government. The Internet and all cellular activity have been blocked, yet somehow, information has been transmitted, and it is clear that the country is in a state of upheaval.
These two international events have one single thread tying them together: the ignorance of them throughout the western world. This is well reflected in the University population. Very few people have heard of these incidents, especially with the simultaneous occurrence of the State of the Union Address by President Barack Obama.
There is little to no information currently circulating throughout campus about these crises. Neither the administration nor any student-run organization has responded or showed any concern.
During rush week, a few members of the various Greek organizations were asked to comment on either event, and only a handful of members were aware of the issues. When random students were asked if they had seen any online posts about the occurrences in Egypt or Moscow, only one had seen anything related to the issues on his news feed.
Though technology seems to be hardwired into our culture, we have evidently been underutilizing it. The internet is truly one of the last bastions of free speech, and it seems as if American culture has failed to grasp that as a concept.
Rather than absorb as much critical information as possible with this technology, most of the University’s student body’s technological activities consist of such mundane things as keeping up with their Facebook, updating their Twitter, or watching the latest episode of “Jersey Shore.”
There is no sense of higher-intellectual drive with the advanced technology that is available to the average American, let alone the average University student.
Despite being so in-tune with technology, western culture has detached itself from the real world. More important are the bits and pieces of useless data that float through invisible connections rather than actual situations happening all over the globe, let alone the events on the home front.
When students were asked if they were interested in politics in a recent colloquium conducted by the Honors College with Dr. Dario Moreno, only a handful of the hundreds in attendance raised their hands. If the supposed elite of the University have little interest in something as critical to American life as politics, what does that say about the rest of the students and their peers?
If society refuses to encourage the further utility of informational technology, it risks driving itself into the ignorance which it has tried so hard to avoid. If the American public cannot even acknowledge an airport bombing, especially after the recent dilemmas with the new security measures, it doesn’t bode well for the future.
Unless this disconnect is rectified, people will continue to sink more and more into themselves, isolated from the rest of the world.
About Post Author
