Becoming a reader grows our horizons, our appetite for the good, the true and the beautiful, and our empathy.
Ben SasseRead
Among the responsibilities of each citizen in a participatory democracy is keeping ourselves sufficiently informed so that we can participate effectively, argue our positions honorably, and hopefully, forge sufficient consensus to understand each other and then to govern.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Citizens in a democracy must stay informed to effectively engage and reach consensus.
This quote emphasizes the importance of informed citizenship in a participatory democracy. It suggests that for democracy to function successfully, individuals must educate themselves about issues, argue their viewpoints with integrity, and work towards mutual understanding in order to govern collectively.
Themes
DemocracyCitizenshipParticipationInformedConsensus
In practice
Example use cases
During a town hall meeting to discuss community issues.
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I don't think that our Founders would believe that America could long prosper if the people were not readers.
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