“We have a responsibility to stay abreast of the conflicts in the world so that we can support or reject our leaders’ efforts to navigate them.”

So says Charles M. Blow in yesterday’s New York Times.

I recommitted to that daily paper a few weeks ago, and now I’m paying a price of that commitment that exceeds the monthly subscription fee. It’s a mental and spiritual cost; I feel more tired and more discouraged, less hopeful, and, ironically, less engaged in the world around me.

I understand Gaza, Ukraine, and Ebola better now than before. But I honestly wonder what good my “staying abreast” of those conflicts is doing anyone.

The allure of ignorance is strong these days.