Media has a habit of looking for the newest trends or news and forgetting about other stories they deem irrelevant. It is the age we live in—refreshing the page over and over again until something new sparks our interest. The internet has molded all of us into having short attention spans; typically a week if you’re lucky. While this can be harmless when it comes to internet trends like the latest meme or celebrity dating scandal, it becomes a bit more of an issue when it concerns real events and important news that shouldn’t be simply brushed off.

It is our responsibility to stay informed, but life does not slow down and the fast pace of the online news has not made it easier. Overall, the culmination of these factors has made us as a society desensitized and forgetful of things that matter. For example, when news of a school shooting comes about, it does not impact people as much as it did before. While some may express their condolences, it is likely that that would be the extent of their acknowledgement. Within the next few days, something different will be taking over news channels and suddenly everyone will move on. In other words, people will have forgotten. While media is the source that brought it to our attention, it is also the first to shift it onto something else. It is a sad reality.

Truthfully, there is little to be done about this problem. There is no way to stop every major news outlet from digging for the latest gossip or story—it’s just not realistic. What is important, though, is to realize and acknowledge that some events deserve to be heard for longer than a few days or a week. For issues that deserve to be heard, it is our duty to make it known.