Contributor: Brian Anthony. Lesson ID: 11106
Is it worse to be ignorant or apathetic? You should know AND care! Ignorance and apathy concerning the news are not viable options! Good, effective citizens pay attention!
Winston Churchill once said the best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.
One of the main responsibilities of living in a democracy is to be informed. That takes effort — a daily effort, like exercise.
Find out how and make a plan!
Everyone has an opinion.
Having an opinion is easy and natural, but developing an informed opinion is much more challenging.
Hearing or voicing an uninformed opinion may be irritating or embarrassing when discussing sports or some distant event. For a democracy, uninformed opinions about important issues can be disastrous.
Check out this Jimmy Kimmel Live video showing how funny it can be when people are not properly informed.
Reflect on the video and answer the following questions.
Do not be too judgmental. Many people are not as informed as they think they are.
Challenge yourself with a Student News Quiz. Select the most recent weekly quiz and give it a try!
Ask a family member or classmate to take the quiz and compare your results.
Try to locate recent news stories to clarify any events you missed. Then reflect and discuss these questions.
Continue to the Got It? section to examine some contemporary issues.