MostPeopleShould

While reading an article on SlashDot about MS Office ? 2003 and XML, I found this comment quite interesting:

 Re:Grrrrrr (Score:5, Interesting)
 by Junior J. Junior III (192702) on Thursday March 13, @01:18PM (#5504743)
(http://www.livejournal.com/users/jjjiii)

    Some of us have to operate in the [[real world]] where most [[computer users]] couldn't give two fifths of a fourth of a crap about XML or [[open standards]].

    They should.

[[Most people should]] vote, keep up with [[current events]], be knowledgable about history, be able to program their VCR, and floss their teeth, too.

But don't expect that they will.

Anyhow the comment got me thinking, and I decided to make a wiki node? about it.

Mission statement?

Starting with JJJ's list above, this node is dedicated to things that people should do or known. Please add to it as you feel necessary.

The Things

Most people should vote --
- How to vote?, How to register to vote?, why you should vote?

Keep up with current events? -- damn this is an important one. You need to be informed about the world in which you live. You need to know what your local president or military despot? is up to and which countries s/he wants to invade over the weekend.
- Read a newspaper -- you can get free copies of most (if not all) campus publications. Berry Library and Baker Library have tons of newspapers for you to read. I suggest NYT and the CSM, but find your own objective news source?.
- Television -- lots of "news" in the US is sensational shit?. CNN isn't too bad, as I remember, but I believe it has biases. Many people suggest that the BBC has pretty objective world news? coverage.
- Use the Internet -- You can find news of all different quality levels and with all kinds of biases and slants online, so be careful. Ask other people for advice on sites, and always be critical of what you read and how the news is presented to you.
  - I suggest CNN.com, BBC.com, SlashDot.org (tech news?), Salon?.com, EFF.org
- Talk to other people about the news. They might know more than you about events and can share insight.

Be knowledgable about history -- "Those who do not remember history are bound to repeat it" (or something like that). History teaches us a lot about where we are today and can help to indicate where we are going in the future.
- Learning about current events? will help you with the history in a few years.
- Go and read non fiction? books about historical events.
- Try to pick one current event? each week and do a little research on the history surrounding that event. Try to figure out what led up to the event. Bingo! you're that much more educated.
- Will Cuppy?'s stuff about history will be very funny to you once you understand what really happened.

Be able to program their VCR? -- It's not that hard if you just read through the manual a few times. Try asking your child or grandchild to explain it to you slowly (offer food as a bribe?).

Floss their teeth, too -- everyone should floss. If you don't, your teeth will fall out and you'll have to eat apple sauce? instead of steak.

RobinsonTryon - 14 Mar 2003