Why should we be concerned with current affairs when most of them will soon be forgotten?

Why should we be concerned with current affairs when most of them will soon be forgotten?

This question requires students to think and assess about the importance of current affairs – whether there is any point in knowing and even being affected by them since these news will be outdated soon. After all, we live in a fast changing world where information gets released quickly and get outdated almost instantaneously. If this is the situation that we are facing, then should we all still be concerned with current affairs? What are some criteria that will make one be concerned? Must the current affairs be relevant to our daily lives? What about those news that do not affect us directly- should we still take notice and be relevant? Finally, what constitutes “current”? What is the time frame for this?

Some plausible arguments that you can consider:

1. We live in a globalized world, current affairs affect almost every single one of us, whether they have a direct or indirect impact on our lives. Even if these current affairs are soon to be forgotten, we can all have a learning point. E.g. news about calamities – teaches one to emphasize with others; to value life and to care for others especially in time in need. It serves as a point of connection for humanity.
2. Current affairs that have relevance to our lives should not be so easily forgotten especially if their impacts/ ramifications are widespread. For instance, the 2008 financial crisis that left many in the US homeless and jobless will not be easily forgotten due to the emotional and financial hurt that it caused many people. In addition, the lessons of the financial crisis can always serve as a learning point for the government and economists, to decipher on how to better manage such crisis. This is similar to important political news as well.
3. Current affairs that are unimportant such as the latest celebrity news may not have much relevance to our lives, and as such, there is no point in trying to be concerned with them. After all, celebrity news is usually tabloid materials, which makes one question the validity of the news. Why should we all be concerned with their latest break up or hook up? (especially since the purpose of these news is just to entertain and to stir up gossip to increase the viewership of the press).
4. Ordinary mundane current affairs such as the latest happenings around our estate are still important to help us keep a sense of rootedness and belongings. Yes these news do get phased out really soon, but at least it gives people a sense of their identity. For instance, many big countries have regional newspapers to inform people of the latest news in order for them to keep abreast of information. E.g. Wuhan newspapers frequently reports on cases of crimes, weather so that the people can take note and take precautions.