Political Literacy

What to say. This is a difficult and critically important subject that extends quite far in many directions.

Basically, it comes down to two factors - education and general awareness. Let's leave the former alone for now, other than to say that political education in both local and global scopes should be emphasized much more in our high schools.

As for general awareness, that's a tricky bit. How do you get people to care? It's unfortunate that tragedy is the only effective catalyst that can get people to pay attention. On a psychological level, people only care about issues that affect them directly. Foresight, depth, and long-term thinking are things that humans are not naturally good at. It's all too easy to get distracted by what's in front of you, but therein lies the only real answer.

Most people don't care about what they don't understand. For instance, when your car mechanic explains something to you, your most likely concern is the bottom line - when you get your car back. The process is not interesting. It only becomes "interesting" when your find out how much it will cost you. Then it gets very interesting and very personal, very quickly.

And that's really the key. To put information in front of people, and make tangible connections to that information that people can relate to. For most political situations, complexity is not necessary to convey the point. To put it ineloquently, complexity is a turn off for most people. Talk shows like the David Letterman show do a great job at making boring things appealing to the general public. People get both informed and entertained, and it just sinks in.

So the key to educating the general public is the approach. Simple, direct, accessible and relevant. When combined with a good medium for presenting this information - it will simply work.

Television and internet video are the two mediums which are probably least likely to share their audiences with newspapers and radio stations like the NPR. Fundamental education is great, but it will only help kids, not adults who may have been out of school for years but have not accumulated any useful political awareness. The easiest way to reach those adults is through their sources of entertainment.

Initiatives like the voting encouragement video Mr. Trump participated in, are great ways to get to those individuals. We can sell trillions of products and services a year to customers world wide, which should say something about our marketing abilities. So why can't we market political education just as effectively?

Let me make a final analogy. Would you agree that the process of receiving and opening gifts, unpacking a new purchase, or seeing your house or building while it's being built - is often more exhilarating than the end result? In the same way, it's often not the content, but the delivery that is most important to harboring that kind of positive response out of people. This concept can be applied to countless areas, including almost all forms of education.

Hi 'THE DONALD'

A simple question that I few have answered correctly.

What does "I.Q." stand for?

You will be surprised with the answers. It gives people a wake-up call.

Guy

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx THIS IS FOR A Case For Tenacity and no one seems to realise that your blog is not taking comments???? xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


Some people do not like changes however, one thing for sure, there are many in high places that would promote rejection to cover themselves in future events.

When completed, the approving parties will not be remembered however, should something goes wrong, it’s very simple for the rejecting party’s to say, " I told you so"

Only good things come to remarkable people and I hope you get the finest of those.

Guy

Today is Tuesday 4, 2008. The moment of Truth for every American to demonstrate his/her political literacy during the 2008 US Presidential Election has came. Let us see the result of most expensive 2008 US Presidential election campaign in the history of the USA.

Viktor O. Ledenyov

ledenyov@univer.kharkov.ua

Good article.

I personally never followed politics because I believed that those in power were watching out for my interests.

The events of the last 6 years have changed that attitude and I'm quickly trying to get up to speed.

I am making it a point now to know our political leaders and our corporate leaders because I believe that they are destroying our country by sending our wealth to other countries in the pursuit of short term profits.

I frequently write articles about this at http://www.KeepAmericaAtWork.com

Regards,

Virgil

I would like to make a point that has yet to be dicussed during this very important election. We teach our children somthing called, "Guilt by Association" If they associate with people who buy or sell drugs they will in return become what they associate with.
We are not a prejudice nation. Colon Powl is one of the most respected African Americans in the USA as well as Condy Rice. Anyone who has served and proven worthy of their Nation deserves our utmost respect. On the other hand, we have our now President elect who has not one time had to prove himself worthy of the greatest position in the United States of America.
No one ever pressed him for answers to very important associations. The media made it out to be irrelevant to the position. I want to know a mans character, this is my right as an American yet I was not allowed to get the answers that all Americans should have recieved whether you are a Democrat or a Republican. If I buy a new home, I am not only going to look at the front of the house I will dissect every part of it to assure I am getting the best deal. We as Americans were only allowed to look at the front and was never given the opportunity to truly check out the product.
My disapointment is in the media, but now my fear is in the man that I know nothing about.
As for John Mcain we know every mistake he has ever made we also know he has proven himself loyal and worthy to our Nation. McCain was dissected and left to rot by the media. I don't think McCain had all the answers either but at least I knew what came in the package.
Guilt by Association could come back to haunt this great nation of ours and I hope everyone will open their eyes and start asking some very important questions. Obama is not a celebraty he is going to be the next leader of this great nation.

Little lesson from the North of 49 (Canada), about 10% of population of U.S.A (that would count for about five states of U.S.) : There was Federal election shortly before the one in U.S. of A. Scheduled TV debate of leaders of the major 3 parties represented in Canada's Parliament - Conservatives {=Republicans}, Liberals {=Democrats} and New Democrats {=Socialists} was EXCLUDING the leader of the Green Party after AGREEMENT between 3 parties and national TV broadcaster. It caused a storm of protests from regular voters to public personalities, to celebrities and to many Media people, because the Green Party was experiencing growth and not negligeable support among Canadian voters. The storm of protests included such, as if veterans of II.World War and current casualties in Afghanistan died for this kind of democracy ?!!! Public outcry forced inclusion of the representative of the fourth party in the debate. That was a small cough on behalf of democracy in Canada. Two parties system run in U.S. of A. elections, excluding people like Ron Paul from televised debates, states sad reality in the bastion of democracy and moral selfrighteousness throughout of the world. And it is moral guilt of every American, who screams loudly at football, baseball or hockey game, but is quiet when it REALLY matters, it is the guilt of every American voter, who writes and emails to celebrities of silver or TV screen, but fails to express their opinion to their government when it REALLY has impact, it is consequence of going to streets to make noise for the winning sports team, but failing to write slogans of REAL importance and show them on the streets of America, so the world and therefore domestic politicians have to take notice, where the public of their nation REALLY stands ! It looks, as if American public is damned to consuming what is offered to them and believing at the same time that is all they want... If 9/11 and financial debacle MACHINATIONS did not wake every American to 'arms', then it is all lost, good bye American dream, good bye freedom, wellcome Amero (Northamerican common currency and economy and leadership), wellcome socialist system, inevitably leading to the world's one communist dictatorial government. Mr. Trump, if You stand on the side of true democracy and true freedom under the God's skies, God bless You and protect You and all extraterrestrials be to Your assistance. Damn, Citizens, it's Your land, Your country, Your should be the power there and do not let anybody let You believe otherwise. Wake Up !!!

Wow! You covered a lot of ground in this one. My first thought is not everyone has been blessed with the brain capacity to think like you - not as deep and not as much. So, while it seems reasonable to say I don't ask anything of anyone else that I am not willing and able to do myself - that really isn't a fair expectation. It's kind of like Michael Phelps expecting everyone to swim like him. I'm not sure about you, but personally, I might be able to dog paddle or float but i'm sure I'd be left behind.

Have you ever looked at the voter turn out? Many people feel disenfranchised from politics because of mud slinging, or because they feel powerless and don't understand the system. Some remain uninvolved as a protest or because it's easier. But, I think we could vastly improve the availability of information. Much of our news is repetitious, and we do not get a lot of in-depth world news - except for the sources you mentioned. Politics could definitely use some good marketing (showing everyone how they can get what they value from awareness and involvement) instead of "Spin"

Now compare the general public's awareness of who won the superbowl. People like to focus on things that make them feel good. That usually can be summed up as entertainment.

This whole topic reminds me of an interesting message I received several years ago in the form of a test. It asked several who's who questions such as "Who won the Nobel Peace Prize this year?" "Who got the Golden Globe?" Then it followed with "Who was your favorite teacher?" "Who was your mentor?" This was summarized with the question of which is truely the greater accomplishment. I think they can be equal, but one precedes the other. After all, without this second group, how many of us would go on to accomplish those other great things?