I'm of the firm opinion that it is everyone's civic duty to stay informed of what is going on around them, even if news coverage is negative and biased. The al

I'm of the firm opinion that it is everyone's civic duty to stay informed of what is going on around them, even if news coverage is negative and biased. The alternative - sticking one's head in the sand - is selfish. In the short run it can make you happier and give you the ability to focus on your personal affairs, but in the long run it makes you more and more isolated and contributes to the degradation of the social fabric. You don't have to remain immersed in breaking news for hours and hours, but even 15-20 minutes browsing headlines and skimming through select articles can go a long way towards what I call "civic awareness".