Civic Knowledge Assignment
Is America stupid or just selective?
When I initially reviewed the questions on the survey, I predicted that there would be a higher percentage of right answers on the pop culture questions than the civic literacy questions. After I compiled the data, I was pleasantly surprised to find that more interviewees got the civic questions right that the geography and pop culture questions. I believe there are many factors as to why this is was the results of the assignment as outlined further.
Initially, we should consider the fact that in recent years, there have been a growing number of youth getting involved in political issues and taking notice of our government system. As a Ron Paul supporter, I can’t help but credit him with increasing the visibility of American government to the nation as well as highlighting the faults of our current system (the IRS). I also believe that the significant movements towards supporting gay marriage and legalizing marijuana have increased awareness and visibility on our government because the people are passionate about these issues. Then are we to conclude that America only values civic literacy when significant issues are being decided?
The second consideration for the findings of the survey lead to the fact that our access to clear and concise information, with the invention of the internet, has made American’s more informed. Or more likely, the invention of social media, for example Facebook. Our parents shared their political views and information through written and spoken word. However, with technology as it is today, we can start a virtual petition, organize discussion groups on Facebook and even share factual information with the click of a button. This thought conflict with Shenkman’s Gross Ignorance, pg 17 which states “The error can be traced to our mistaking unprecedented access to information with the actual consumption of it.” This quote leads me to another point which is the concept of personalization of
When I initially reviewed the questions on the survey, I predicted that there would be a higher percentage of right answers on the pop culture questions than the civic literacy questions. After I compiled the data, I was pleasantly surprised to find that more interviewees got the civic questions right that the geography and pop culture questions. I believe there are many factors as to why this is was the results of the assignment as outlined further.
Initially, we should consider the fact that in recent years, there have been a growing number of youth getting involved in political issues and taking notice of our government system. As a Ron Paul supporter, I can’t help but credit him with increasing the visibility of American government to the nation as well as highlighting the faults of our current system (the IRS). I also believe that the significant movements towards supporting gay marriage and legalizing marijuana have increased awareness and visibility on our government because the people are passionate about these issues. Then are we to conclude that America only values civic literacy when significant issues are being decided?
The second consideration for the findings of the survey lead to the fact that our access to clear and concise information, with the invention of the internet, has made American’s more informed. Or more likely, the invention of social media, for example Facebook. Our parents shared their political views and information through written and spoken word. However, with technology as it is today, we can start a virtual petition, organize discussion groups on Facebook and even share factual information with the click of a button. This thought conflict with Shenkman’s Gross Ignorance, pg 17 which states “The error can be traced to our mistaking unprecedented access to information with the actual consumption of it.” This quote leads me to another point which is the concept of personalization of