“People would probably be better off if they knew more than they do about a lot of things … Politics might, however, be the last thing on that list. The rewards might be greater for knowing more about how to raise children, or about your hobbies, about computers, consumer safety, your community, movies, games, literature, a foreign language, math, science, history, or almost everything besides politics and/or political science. And yet, politics is the one area in which we get irritated when other people are apathetic or ignorant. That might not be fair, but there is no denying that many people feel this way.For that reason alone, it is worth articulating the findings of political science. There is something about American culture that expects people to know and care about politics. That ought to include the things discussed here, that the systematic study of politics suggests we should know and care about. Use them as you will.”
