In this episode, I chat with author and educator Ben Sheehan about why so many Americans feel disconnected from their government—and why that’s not their fault. Sheehan, creator of PBS’s Civics Made Easy and author of What Does the Constitution Actually Say?, explains that our lack of civic knowledge stems from a decades-long decline in civics education. He explains that shame often keeps people from asking questions or trying to learn, and becoming “fluent” in government makes people more likely to participate and create change.
Ultimately, he envisions a world where no one feels too old, too uninformed, or too intimidated to learn—because understanding how democracy works is the first step to making it work for everyone.
