Ria Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 (edited) I keep abreast of the news, both national and world. However, I am occasionally in contact with others who simply have no clue what is going on anywhere. As a citizen and parent, I feel that it's not only my responsibility to maintain an awareness of the news, but to make sure my children learn to do so as well. Even watching the 10-minute rundown of headlines on Good Morning America gives a person some idea of what goes on outside his or her immediate bubble. My 16-year old mentioned this to me yesterday...he says that the kids in his school have no idea about world events, and he just can't understand it. Just curious as to what others think about this. Ria Edited February 25, 2009 by Ria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Yes. I think it is part of the rights and responsibility agreement we have with the government and each other. *pulls out soapbox* People today are so concerned with there rights. "I have a right to do this" "you have no right to do that" etc. But they forget that those rights come with responsibilities. By knowing what is going on in the world both local, national and international we can form opinions and thus fulfil our part of the "a government for the people by the people". This goes for those outside the US as well as in all democratic countries we vote for our leaders and how can we do that if we don't know what is going on??? *steps off soapbox* *reads over what she has written* *crosses fingers that this isn't political* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Are we, not always. I have the local headlines delivered to my inbox and read them 3 times a day (when delivered). But they do not always include national and rarely international things. I feel caught up on local things, but not anything else. I feel bad about it, but I don't do anything about it either. The news adage "if it bleeds, it leads" whether true or not, keeps me from turning on the 5 o'clock news most nights. There are things on the news I just don't want my kids to hear about. My kids are much younger than yours. (The Duke lacross rape case is local to me.) I do need to find a balance. I admit it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Yes, we should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fivetails Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Honestly? I'm the worst with current events. I do well to keep up with the local news in my town, nevermind the bigger national/world news. :tongue_smilie: Always been that way. I guess that I just have so much going on in my own "little bit of the world" that I don't look outside of it very often... when I do..... Yep. I just clicked over to CNN.com for a sec since we're talking news and what is the main headline? A big plane crash. :( That's all the news ever seems to be - plane crashes, car accidents, parents killing their kids, explosions, animal abuse, school shootings, wars, terrorism, and so on. Thanks but no thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Absolutely. I think it is a part of the responsibility to be a good citizen. If you don't know current events, how can you wisely make election choices? (Yes, I know plenty of people vote who know nothing but I am talking about reaching toward the ideal). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I'm amazed at what I can keep up on by just setting my homepage to Drudge Report. Everytime I get on my computer I will scan headlines. Every once in a while I will click on a link because I want to know more, but usually I just ask dh who really follows politics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Yes, it is our responsibility. So many people are not informed, vote anyway or do not vote at all, and then complain about the way things are going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maria/ME Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I grew up in a household where current events were important and discussed often. I think the we should model interest in current events to our children. I think it is important, however, that we ourselves (and our children) learn media literacy. What's the "spin", if you will. I check the news every other day or so to see what is going on. Today's "hot story" is in the garbage the next day as new information comes out. I try not to get whipped up over everything I read, see and hear. There are some current events that I consider worthwhile to be aware of in the stream of history and time. Others are just...well..."twaddle" as far as I'm concerned. "Filler" for the news media and some pablum to keep the ratings. So while I think current events are important, I don't see them as a "responsibility" because I don't feel the news is always reported responsibly. Do I feel I should know what is going on in the rest of the world and in this country? Sure. In an overall sense, as it will affect world conditions. I am also careful as to what my daughter sees. We have a T.V. but we haven't "crossed over" to digital yet. Therefore we only use the T.V. for DVD's etc...we get our news from the paper or online. My daughter is highly affected by what she views in terms of violence. And guess what is on the news? Lots of violence. Do I push her head in the sand? Nope...we discuss even the more violent aspects of the news. But do we have to see it paraded in slick showmanship style. Nope. So for me, the issue isn't Do I Keep Up On Current Events? It's HOW Do I Keep Up On Current Events. And I'm kind of digressing from the original question. Sorry, I shall take down my own soapbox here...where is it...? Got it.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Of course we should. One wonders if part of the reason that Americans seem to know little of the geography of the rest of the world is that our news tends to focus on us (with the occasional international disaster thrown in). I would suggest reading BBC headlines daily for the scoop on world news. I would also suggest that everyone should glance at a science magazine on occasion or listen to NPR's Science Friday periodically to stay abreast of the lastest in science and technology news. Policy makers who do not understand science are too common, I am afraid. I wish their constituents would call them out. Admittedly, understanding the news can be tough these days. I have learned more than I ever imagined about the world of finance in the last few months. Prior to the autumn, I had never heard of a Credit Default Swap or a "tranche". (A really good article on the statistical models that brought down the financial world can be found in Wired.) It drives me nuts not to know what is going on in the world. Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie in NE Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 And it's really not hard to keep up a bit, at least not for me. I subscribe to the Wall Street Journal online, so that front page comes up when I open a browser. Then, I listen to NPR in the kitchen, and the car.... and those are the three places I seem to spend all my time: computer, kitchen, car. And just so noone thinks I'm shirking my homeschooling responsibilities, my computer is at my desk in the school room, and school often also happens in the kitchen. :001_smile: And another thing :rant: , I get both disgusted and scared by things like "Jay Walking", the show where Jay Leno interviews supposedly "average" people about things you would assume everyone knows.... like "Who is the Vice President?" Very, very scarey. Gosh Ria, seems like you've kind of pushed a button here, for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ria Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 And another thing :rant: , I get both disgusted and scared by things like "Jay Walking", the show where Jay Leno interviews supposedly "average" people about things you would assume everyone knows.... like "Who is the Vice President?" Very, very scarey. Gosh Ria, seems like you've kind of pushed a button here, for me. I agree completely. I have little tolerance for self-induced ignorance. Ria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 We should be but I avoid it. I do not watch the news, or read newspapers at all. It is all so depressing I would rather be ignorant and blissful. I get my major newsheadlines from my message boards, I see people talking about something and then I will look into it more, but as a general rule of thumb I avoid all that I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 We try to find a balance. Watching the news anymore is almost like watching Jerry Springer. It's all one big drama. We try to watch the news once a week or so, and scan the headlines online. We also get a newspaper. This keeps us in the know enough that we have a heads up in the world is about to end :lol: Otherwise, yes, I keep my head in the sand. I'm not completely uninformed, but I don't need the drama and stress involved in keeping up with all the chicken little news stories out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I don't know how to describe myself, but I take things too much to heart. If I watch news every night, I won't sleep worrying about things that I cannot control. Aside from the depression about the state we're in (and I mean state of the nation, not state of Louisiana - :tongue_smilie:) Though I do tend to maintain some knowledge through my husband and my mother (who is totally obsessed with news). And, I always update myself and get informed around elections of any kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildiris Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 There are times when I think it better to let the world turn without me; a time when no news is good news. When I liberate myself from the current scandal or latest burp in the economy and unplug from the machine of news broadcasts and the internet reports, I can enjoy life and the simple pleasures it offers. Yes, I know it's sticking my head in the sand and not being a good citizen, yet I wonder when I'm away from it all if it is really worth getting so worked up about. I mean in the end, when I'm on my deathbed, will it matter that I stayed abreast of current events? Or will I recall the beauty of the fog lifting from a river in the early hours of the morning; will the memory of birdsong or the words of loved one be replaced by " News and weather every ten minutes." Sad but true, it is the jingles from my youth that I remember with more clarity than a poem memorize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Honestly, I find out on a need to know basis. My dh reads the paper each day and keeps up with current events. If I ask him, he usually knows. If I read the paper myself, I get very depressed. It is not good for my hypochondria/ocd to read about all the bad in the world...and, unfortunately, it is hard to pick up a paper and read it without seeing all the bad in the world around me. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkInTheBlue Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I'm torn about the balance on this. No, I don't think it's important for me to know everything going on about attacking chimps or another parent who's hurt or kidnapped a child. That's what so much of the "news" is full of. Well, that and what the latest Hollywood star has going on in their lives. However, on world events that definitely could affect our lives, I think it is a very good idea to know what's happening in the world. The problem with that is the news source. I believe so much of the news reporting sources are so agenda and money driven that by the time we get the "news" it's actually their version of the news. I wish there was a way to feel I was getting "just the facts ma'am." :) That's my take. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Yes and no. Yes, I think adults should be aware of wars, genocide, revolutions, socio-economics, etc. I also think we need to be aware of the good things going on the world. There are good things and it is unfortunate that the news focus is on blood, guts, and every other nasty thing out there. I stopped watching the news a couple of years ago because I could not stand all that negativity right before I went to bed. I read the papers (online) and I check other news sources weekly. I no longer read every day as I don't have the time to go in depth. I do scan headlines and blurbs. As much as I try to stay abreast of what is going on in my community and on a broader scale I always keep Mark Twain's quote in the back of my head. "If you do not read the papers you are uninformed. If you do read the papers you are misinformed." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey in TX Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Yes. I think it is part of the rights and responsibility agreement we have with the government and each other. *pulls out soapbox* People today are so concerned with there rights. "I have a right to do this" "you have no right to do that" etc. But they forget that those rights come with responsibilities. By knowing what is going on in the world both local, national and international we can form opinions and thus fulfil our part of the "a government for the people by the people". This goes for those outside the US as well as in all democratic countries we vote for our leaders and how can we do that if we don't know what is going on??? *steps off soapbox* *reads over what she has written* *crosses fingers that this isn't political* :lol::lol::lol: ITA. Ignorance creates chaos. It's our responsibility to teach our children to be educated on the issues, not just the politics ensued in the issues. My children are often more aware of politics and the history behind certain issues than fellow adults. It's just sinful to not be informed--regardless of viewpoints. Too bad we can't have restrictions on our voter registration cards: if you aren't informed, you have only limited voting rights. (jk--but a fun thought to ponder) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apiphobic Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Nah. If it's really important, I'll hear about it here on the boards, right? :p Just kidding ... I'm feeling ornery today. Seriously though, the way you phrased that question ... you're asking for it, lady. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey in TX Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I'm torn about the balance on this. No, I don't think it's important for me to know everything going on about attacking chimps or another parent who's hurt or kidnapped a child. That's what so much of the "news" is full of. Well, that and what the latest Hollywood star has going on in their lives. However, on world events that definitely could affect our lives, I think it is a very good idea to know what's happening in the world. The problem with that is the news source. I believe so much of the news reporting sources are so agenda and money driven that by the time we get the "news" it's actually their version of the news. I wish there was a way to feel I was getting "just the facts ma'am." :) That's my take. :) Good points. Human interest stories are not news. It sells b/c we read it. News IMO is current events which shape our lives: politics, religion, finance, etc. If it's on CNN it's partly news. If it's on E!, it's mindless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jlynn Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I agree with you. My son just turned 10 today, but we've always kept up with major news events and local stuff as well. The only exceptions are: "news" about B. Spears or some other poptart and her latest escapades that somehow make it onto the real news broadcast... news that touches on rape/incest/spouse beating ...its just a little more than I feel is needed for a just turned 10yr old. But he knows about the politcal news, and his parent's opinions :) and news of the economy, war etc...big picture stuff. I too have found it interesting that in talking with neighbors some of them can be so clueless about that big stuff, but they are really, really into the gossip news -who wore what to the Oscars, who Oprah had on her show and other such tidbits. These can be interesting conversation pieces, but not at the exclusion of real news. I'm more of a big picture/events gal myself so quickly grow bored with the gossipy stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I do not stay abreast of current events. Should I? Maybe. But I don't. I, too, take much of what I see to heart. But that is only part of the reason. When watching the news, I am increasingly disturbed by the "slant" of the report. I never know if the news I am getting is true news or skewed to show the station's/affiliate's views. Also, I feel that modern news media takes their "reporting" too far. There are some things (especially in war zones/times) that just should not be reported on. I believe it compromises our interests. I do not believe that CNN truly is reporting the "heartbeat" of America (or the world). As a conservative Christian, I also do not know if the Christian news is acurately portraying their side as well. I believe that the Christian world is trying so hard to counter the national media that sometimes...yes sometimes... they go just as far the other way. Neither is acceptable to me. Give me the facts, without blood/gore/drama and a political slant and then I might have more of an interest in what's going on. I highly doubt that we will ever get to that point. I do know more about the "goings on" in the world now, however, because you all here on the boards never tire of discussing it:tongue_smilie: So at least once a week I find myself checking out some story or another and find that I know more about the world than I really want to:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LND1218 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I'm torn about the balance on this. No, I don't think it's important for me to know everything going on about attacking chimps or another parent who's hurt or kidnapped a child. That's what so much of the "news" is full of. Well, that and what the latest Hollywood star has going on in their lives. However, on world events that definitely could affect our lives, I think it is a very good idea to know what's happening in the world. The problem with that is the news source. I believe so much of the news reporting sources are so agenda and money driven that by the time we get the "news" it's actually their version of the news. I wish there was a way to feel I was getting "just the facts ma'am." :) That's my take. :) I have to agree with this! I would love to know what's really going on, but that's not what's on the news these days! I watch every am, and I feel like I never know what's really going on in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deidre in GA Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 i'm not sure i'd call it a should but for sure the people in my life who i find interesting certainly are aware and conversant. my son was raised listening to NPR. just this morning he remarked how out of touch with current events he feels now that he's in conventional school. on a related note, early in the first semester his history teacher commented on my son's challenges fitting in. one of his statements was along the lines of "He needs to stop being so serious; not everything he speaks with his peers about relates to politics." i had to laugh because it called to mind the homeschool joke about talking with public school kids - speak slowly and use little words..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5kidsforME Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Do I think adults SHOULD? No not if they don't want to or feel like it. Do I want to and do I want my children too? Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 i'm not sure i'd call it a should but for sure the people in my life who i find interesting certainly are aware and conversant. my son was raised listening to NPR. just this morning he remarked how out of touch with current events he feels now that he's in conventional school. on a related note, early in the first semester his history teacher commented on my son's challenges fitting in. one of his statements was along the lines of "He needs to stop being so serious; not everything he speaks with his peers about relates to politics." i had to laugh because it called to mind the homeschool joke about talking with public school kids - speak slowly and use little words..." Oh thanks for that laugh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepy Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I think it's in my best interest to be knowledgable about what is going on in the world. What other adults choose to do/not do is not my concern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Yes, I'm ignorant. I'm a boob and cry every time I watch the news, so I don't watch anymore. It is so depressing. What is a reputable news source (without loads of drama and negativity)? I used to listen to NPR when I cooked supper every day, but my youngest dd's interruptions got to be too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I don't think we need to know all details, all the time, but *some* sort of grasp is important. My 28yo sister really believes that the current economic situation only effects people who have been laid off.:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 We should be but I avoid it. I do not watch the news, or read newspapers at all. It is all so depressing I would rather be ignorant and blissful. I get my major newsheadlines from my message boards, I see people talking about something and then I will look into it more, but as a general rule of thumb I avoid all that I can. I feel the same way. I'm aware of the most general of current events from reading here or catching bits and pieces of news while DH watches. But reading the paper or watching the news increases my anxiety levels beyond where I can really manage them. If I get too immersed in the details, everything starts to sound like a calamity to me. I need to stay back aways in order to function normally. While I do think we have a responsibility to be aware of what's going on in the world, I think we can't do much about the majority of it, so I'd often rather not know more than is good for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 ABsolutely. My 16 year old keeps up with current events for he knows it directly influences his future and he always want to discuss things. I have to keep up with him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 This is me also. I find that my dh keeps me abreast of situations I need to be aware of. After we put the kids to bed we have time to discuss our day and this is when we talk about what's in the news. If I want to research a topic more, I look it up. This way I don't see all the murder and mayhem and things that aren't good for my battle with depression. It's the balance we've found that works for me. News is just too dang sad but I do feel it's important to know what going on in the world around me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in PA Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Absolutely. I can't imagine thinking that what is going on in our country and around the world is not important for us to be aware of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I think some people should be on top of current world events and some people should be on top of current American events and some people should be on top of current local events and some people should just concentrate on where they are going and who is around them. IOW, everyone is different, every one focuses on different aspects of the news and that's perfect. Some one is focusing on world events, while some one else is focusing on Congress and there's also someone checking up on the town council. Was it "Bleak House" that had the lady, so consumed with foreign affairs that she allowed her own home to go ruins and a local street urchin to starve to death? That's why I'm okay with people ignoring world news and focusing on things closer to home. There are problems everywhere, but when every one focuses on the problems some where else, the problems at home go unchanged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Well, Ria, I'm not sure GMA would do it for me, LOL. My mom called me one day not long ago to tell me about a headline they were pushing that she thought we should check out and it was a story that had been called into question a week before. But I get your drift. My older son's school shows a "news" type program (VH1, or something like that) during morning home room. The stories are often wildly skewed, but at least it does get him discussing items in the news with me on a regular basis. I absolutely think that at this time in our nation's history we must all keep firmly abreast of current happenings within both the political arena and economic arena - and my ears are perked regarding education and healthcare right now, as well, as I expect big happenings within the next 5 years.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linders Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 To make good personal choices and to be a good citizen and vote intelligently, you need to know the issues, both sides of them. To raise children who will make good choices in a complex world, you need to help them do the same. Nuff said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Absolutely!! At the same time I don't believe any one source can be trusted. I no longer watch news. I couldn't stomach it anymore. These days I get my news online from a wide variety of different sources. I actually prefer to know the bias of the news sources up front. I read from conservative, liberal, and moderate voices. There is no such thing as unbiased reporting. This way I think I can get a feel for the truth of a situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 when I'm on my deathbed, will it matter that I stayed abreast of current events? Or will I recall the beauty of the fog lifting from a river in the early hours of the morning; will the memory of birdsong or the words of loved one be replaced by " News and weather every ten minutes." Sad but true, it is the jingles from my youth that I remember with more clarity than a poem memorize. Well said. Balance. It's all about balance.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 As a citizen and parent, I feel that it's not only my responsibility to maintain an awareness of the news, but to make sure my children learn to do so as well. Agreed ~ but my version of what constitutes "current events" may differ from yours. Even watching the 10-minute rundown of headlines on Good Morning America gives a person some idea of what goes on outside his or her immediate bubble. Errr, no. I can't agree with you on that. When, on rare occasion, I'm exposed to that ADD-inducing experience known as "watching the news", I am not a better person or better citizen for it. My 16-year old mentioned this to me yesterday...he says that the kids in his school have no idea about world events, and he just can't understand it. I recently read portions of The Dumbest Generation, recommended on this board by hornblower. The author emphasizes that oxymoron: Increasing self-involvement accompanies an increased ability to access information. Having said that, I think it's important to talk with your son about how he responds to that lack of awareness among his peers. It's all too easy to distance oneself from people, to assume a smug superiority based on one's own "knowledge" of the wider world. (Ask me how I know.;)) The question is, can we ~ should we ~ encourage people in the "other" camp to broaden their horizons? I don't know that there's a genuinely honest way to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Yes, especially if they vote. During my few years of study/ward work that were some 80-100 hours per week I neither kept up nor voted. I didn't read a single periodical, see a single news show, nor listen to a single radio broadcast for 7 years. I thought my vote would be worse than none. I wish others would refrain if they aren't up on the issues. And one of the things that pushed me to a rigorous homeschool regime was when hubby's daughter, then 18 or 19, had never heard of Yasser Arafat (this was when he was still alive). She was HS to 9th grade and then a private Christian school. I vowed to do better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I don't watch the news. I don't like all of the high-drama, "stay tuned" mentality of news programming. But I do scan top stories online and check a few websites 2 or 3 times a week. It's enough to keep me from being completely ignorant. :D I agree that most of our "news" isn't really news at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 yes and no. yes, they should know something of the world's going-ons no, i wouldn't count on any major tv network for that info. has anyone else ever thought that if everyone home schooled the world would be a much better educated place? I know I've learned a LOT by home schooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I sure hope so... :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 No. Pay attention. Don't pay attention. Que sera, sera. This world is too vast to have absolutes about what adults should and shouldn't know. JMO. YMMV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 has anyone else ever thought that if everyone home schooled the world would be a much better educated place? I, for one, have never had that thought. Although... I know I've learned a LOT by home schooling. Same here! Although I'd like to think if I weren't homeschooling my children, I'd still have learned a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Yes, especially if they vote. During my few years of study/ward work that were some 80-100 hours per week I neither kept up nor voted. I didn't read a single periodical, see a single news show, nor listen to a single radio broadcast for 7 years. I thought my vote would be worse than none. I wish others would refrain if they aren't up on the issues. And one of the things that pushed me to a rigorous homeschool regime was when hubby's daughter, then 18 or 19, had never heard of Yasser Arafat (this was when he was still alive). She was HS to 9th grade and then a private Christian school. I vowed to do better. Many people base their votes on 'issues' that others don't consider important. I don't see that extensive knowledge of the state of the world would make someone's vote better or worse than the person voting based on a more provincial view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 oh I know some folks wouldn't be any better educated for it. (there's always a few apples in the barrel like that, kwim?) just that I've learned a LOT I didn't know before home schooling about history, the world around me, science, and so forth. I can honestly say I truely don't know that I wudl have ever had the opportunity or the neccessity to learn it if I hadn't started down the homeschooling road.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy loves Bud Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Do I think adults SHOULD? No not if they don't want to or feel like it. Do I want to and do I want my children too? Yes. This is how I feel about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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