Indeed, polls reveal a stark divide between journalistic elites and young Americans when it comes to our Middle East foreign policy. In March 2011, The Economist/YouGov conducted a poll where they discovered that a mere 17% of young Americans thought the United States should provide assistance to the Libyan rebels. Similarity, a May 2013 Gallup poll revealed that only 24% of Americans aged 18-29 were in favor of military intervention in Syria. However, unlike Libya, these sentiments manifested themselves in a significant way. It was this intense opposition to armed intrusion in Syria amongst millennials that helped domestic critics derail President Obama's attempt to intervene. Besides the obvious geopolitical significance, this political victory signified that despite the vigorous activism by the mainstream media, America's youth was not willing to blindly follow them into the abyss.

It sent a clear message: if the media continues to provide coverage that is devoid of serious analysis and often downright distorted, then it risks marginalizing itself, especially amongst younger people. Faced with the prospect of being rendered irrelevant, perhaps some members of the media will feel compelled to embrace a more honest brand of journalism. Those unable to offer a quality product will have only themselves—not technology or fashion—to blame.

Dimitri A. Simes is an editorial assistant at the National Interest.

Image: Wikimedia Commons/Daniel X. O'Neil/CC by 2.0