Why we should all have a little “Journalist” in us

I never liked the expression, “curiosity killed the cat.” I think the cat wasn’t curious for the right reasons. Asking questions, researching the why’s and the how’s, and discovering new answers are crucial. Especially during these times we are living in, ask all the questions you can. Acquire the right information. It will benefit you. Forget the cat. The cat’s dead anyways.

The reason why it’s important to possess the qualities that journalists have is because we need to be aware of what is happening outside our homes. Soon, it will affect your life inside your home. Now, I may be biased because I am a journalist and received my bachelors in broadcast journalism. But, I’m realizing more and more how important it is to be curious. Curiosity allows you to open your mind, explore, and delve into the work.

Here we have a war against ISIS, politicians battling out a position to run our country, refugees trying to enter our country that some fear might be a threat, security warnings during Thanksgiving travel, Adele killing the music charts, and J LO videos everywhere from the AMAs. Plus some.

Depending on what tickles your fancy, it’s fulfilling to keep up with the “latest,” and not only read the headlines, but read many, and keep reading all about it. You can never grasp too much information.

I’ll leave out entertainment right now. Even though it’s LIFE. But, what’s irking me lately are the signs that we need to understand the battle with ISIS/ISIL/DAESH and discuss it with others. Everything you are hearing in the news is somewhat related to one another. And, although it’s depressing to read about, you might find it relates to a friend of yours or a family member. And trying to understand what’s happening and looking up sites you connect with can give you a broader sense of the issues. So, you can tell your friends, sons, daughters. So you know who to really vote for, not because the media or people are telling you who to vote for. And you know how to prepare for travel, how to warn others, and how to really understand people.

One small example is the Islam religion. The question that has raised debate around social media. Does religion promote terrorism? Learn about different religions, different faiths. What motivates people? Is it religion? Childhood? Drugs?

That’s why I’d love to interview and talk to as many people as I can — from experts, to analysts, to researchers. Gather facts and data — and then make a conclusion. It might not be the only conclusion, but it could lead to a discovery you never would reach otherwise.

Here is a perfect example of a site that offers the important headlines of the day, breaks it down, and refers to other articles on the topic: http://www.theskimm.com/recent

Ask questions. Be inquisitive. Dare to take risks. Just don’t involve your cat.