So, have you heard the news?

When the history teacher talks about World War 2 while there is a war going on in the neighboring country

It probably shook us all. The nearing death of the two-year-old baby of the new era, Covid 19, is passing almost unseen among

Transylvanians, as in the neighboring country there is an outbreaking, evolving sense of war.

We would have said that after so many bizarre happenings in these past 20 months there’s nothing we couldn’t handle or get used to. But how do you get used to hundreds of people being killed, families being parted, lives being torn apart?

It’s that time of the year again when propaganda can grow and spread wildly and freely, when thousands of different approaches and dozens of stereotypes can gain a foothold globally. And we adapt, just as our species have for several billion years. Given the fact that so many websites and channels and the social media are filled with misinformation and propaganda, fake news and very personal opinions about the war, we are extremely put out to be misled. And as we are bombed with a large amount of information and graphic details of the Ukrainian war, these news are drastically changing our sense of life, our sense of safety, without us even noticing.

So, what do we do in order to be informed but not misled, to be aware to a certain extent and not spread unnecessary rumors on a topic only a few truly understand and almost nobody knows the real, true version of?

To choose the most reliable resources, we must use our common sense and our ability to filter out the misleading details. It would be wise to ask questions from the people we know are well-informed about this topic, however, we should never rely on anyone’s answer, as we are all lost in a certain way, and we practically know little to nothing compared to the reality of this entire situation. We should also not rely on apps such as Facebook or Instagram as the main source of information, though these apps might be beneficial if we were to share and spread useful insight.

All in all, these concerning times are, more or less, affecting us all in some ways. We might want to search for the truth, which is normal, but it’s important to understand that nothing we read or hear is one hundred percent accurate. So, be skeptical, it might be useful.

Finally, try to stay in the present and always read between the lines. Trust your common sense and keep filtering out the filth, but most importantly, be kind, as in a world filled with hate and hostility, war is inevitable.

Kertész Noémi XII. H