We live in an age of digital information. This certainly has its advantages.

However, there are associated pitfalls, as well, and they aren’t addressed enough.

Perhaps the most glaring of these pitfalls is that so many of us quickly digest and distribute content, without much thought as to whether it represents something factual. So much of the time, this content confirms our biases — whatever they are — and causes us to react emotionally either for or against the ideas presented. It’s not entirely our fault, however; so much of it is engineered to elicit such a response; information is presented to drive attention and ratings, serving more as entertainment than actual news all the while.

Seeing this play out on social media — where I pretty much live, since I have an online music publication to keep top-of-mind — reminds me of “Under the Big Top” from Cris Jacobs’ most recent release, Color Where You Are.

When I spoke to Cris earlier this spring about the album and life in general, he had this to say about this song, the album’s second track:

“(‘Under the Big Top’) is a response to the constant barrage of information, and the small-mindedness, instant gratification, and lazy mindedness I think it’s causing us,” Jacobs said. “We’re further away from the ability to look within, because we’re so inundated from outside ourselves. As connected as we are, it’s made us disconnected from the things that are important.”

Cris Jacobs on “Under the Big Top”

Listen for yourself below. And, as always, please consume information responsibly.