Why do we crave news?

Red Square, Moscow, Russia

It’s called the Awareness Instinct, or Situational Sense Making. Whatever you call it, people crave news. They want to know what’s going on so they can plan, prepare and prevent. Knowledge gives us security; we know what to expect, and we can plan a response. If something happens, if a question is raised, we can seek information and assuage our uncertainty.

But in the digital age, not everyone has equal access to information. Thinking beyond the widely accessible sources of information like radio reports and newspapers, we have to consider who can access the wider information net and who cannot.

For many of us, the information found on the Internet is a vital part of our daily lives. It would be hard to imagine our jobs without the quick, convenient and vast reserves of information just a click away. However, most people around the world, and a surprising number in this country, do not have access to the Internet.

The innovation has spread unevenly across the globe. Perhaps one day installing general Internet connections in this country will be the new rural electrification movement, but for now some of us are information-rich while others remain information-poor.