Issues Made Simple is designed to promote issue literacy.
Issue literacy means more than learning the facts about an issue. And it's certainly more than having an opinion about that issue.
Issue literacy means knowing some of the simple arguments on both sides of the issues.
Why?
Because seeing the issue from both sides is like seeing the world with two eyes: It lets you see in three dimensions.
Because knowing the simple arguments makes it easier to learn the facts. It makes critical thinking about the issues possible, which really helps with media literacy. It's empowering and confidence-building.
Because it makes productive conversation – the true basis of citizenship – possible and even fun. Using simple arguments when you talk to someone is different from telling them how strongly you feel about an issue, or throwing facts at them. It's about giving a reason or reasons that the other person can understand and engage with.
Issues Made Simple is designed to equip you with simple arguments on both sides of some key issues with a minimum of effort. It shouldn't take weeks of study to understand enough about an issue to begin the conversation.