In our country’s current state, it can be so easy to get bogged down with information. Politics can feel so messy, and it is, with a new piece of breaking news coming out every single day. You might not know where to start with staying updated on current events.
A huge problem in our country right now is that many people aren’t politically informed, which is an important first step when it comes to getting involved in politics. A lot of that comes from straight political apathy — choosing not to care about politics, whether it’s because things “don’t affect” them, or that they “don’t feel strongly towards either side.” Apathy is dangerous. However, another large chunk of lacking knowledge surrounding politics is simply that it’s so overwhelming.
A lot of people want to be politically informed but don’t know where to start, which is completely understandable. If you resonate with that or you know someone who fits that profile this article is for you. My goal here is to give you practical, attainable tips so that you have a baseline for where to start.
- Pick one news source
Where a lot of people go wrong is that, first of all, they don’t know what news sources to look at. In my opinion, choosing news sources is the most important thing. For someone who is just getting started, you’ll want something that is bipartisan and a well-known, verified source. My personal favorite is NPR. They cover politics extensively, as well as all of your other basic categories. Some others are Associated Press (AP), Reuters, PBS News Hour, and Pew Research Center. A good thing to look at is the Web/Print Media Bias Chart. You could also choose a non-traditional media form. Whatever you pick, keep it to one source. This is a good way to make getting information clearer and more manageable.
- Turn on notifications for one political update
Whether it’s through your phone’s news app or you sign up for a mailing list, find a way to get notified from your news source’s political section. When it’s in your face every day it’s certainly hard to ignore, which is the point! Make sure you get notified for important stories and make an effort to click on them, whether it’s immediately, while clearing out notifications later in the day, or by saving the story for later!
- Save articles so you can come back to them
That brings me to my next point — sometimes so much comes up on our feeds all at once, or things appear that are intriguing but we don’t have time to read them. The daily influx of news can cause fatigue and make it feel harder to keep up. If a politically focused story comes up on your news or social media feed that sounds relevant, important, or even just interesting, save it for later! Then, when you’re winding down or have nothing else to do, you can go back and read it.
- Follow three political accounts on social media
Social media can be super helpful in staying informed and has recently begun to replace traditional news sources for many people. Social media-based sources are super popular and can be informative, but because there is so much information circulating, it’s smart to narrow it down to three accounts. A good guideline is to follow one news outlet, one political explainer, and one reporter. That way, you can turn your mindless scrolling into a sort of passive learning.
- Listen to podcasts
Podcasts are great because instead of just scrolling on your phone, you can listen to something informative while doing other things, like exercising or cleaning your room. Podcasts can also be a great replacement for music when you want a change; they’re equally entertaining and educational. As with your news source, you will want podcasts that aim to be unbiased. My go-to is The NPR Politics Podcast, but other options include Left, Right, and Center, Hacks on Tap, Pantsuit Politics, and Not Another Politics Podcast. My advice is to read the descriptions of a few podcasts, give a few episodes a try, and decide what works best for you. While they’re all political, they also each have different tones and conversational styles!
- Look up terms you don’t understand
While reading, watching, and listening to political news you might come across terms you aren’t familiar with. A helpful habit is to write these terms down in your notes app or on a piece of paper. When you’re finished consuming the news, look them up and try to understand what they mean and how they’re typically used. This can be a great way to truly apply what you’re reading!
- Check your local news once a week
Oftentimes we underestimate the importance of local political news. While it might not seem essential at first, remember that when you vote you’re also voting in town and state elections! Try to familiarize yourself with what is happening locally. This can also be a good place to start if national or global news feels overwhelming at first. Understanding what is happening around you can give you a strong foundation and may even spark more interest in policy-related issues.
- Remember that being informed doesn’t mean being opinionated
Some people shy away from staying informed because they think it requires picking a side. The idea that you must choose a political party and stick with it can be extremely limiting. When people become overly consumed by political loyalty, it becomes more difficult to recognize bias, consider other perspectives, or acknowledge when their party is wrong. While choosing unbiased news sources is important, it’s also important to remind yourself that staying informed is about understanding what’s happening first; it’s not about immediately forming or defending an opinion. Politics is so divisive today that society frames things in black and white terms, but remind yourself that there is more to it than simply being liberal or conservative.
Politics can seem messy and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. When we overcomplicate issues, stigmatize discussion, and look at things through one lens, politics can feel constraining and difficult to engage with. Beneath the clutter, it’s possible for it to feel more approachable.
Simply knowing what is going on around you — in your town, state, country, and the world — is valuable. Many people never even take that first step. Once you do, it can pave the road to other forms of engagement. You can have more informed conversations, better understand different perspectives, and even change your own views by asking curious questions. You can vote. You can encourage others to become informed. You can contact your representatives or even protest. One small step can make a meaningful difference, because choosing not to engage at all holds real consequences for the world we live in.