- Much of my career has been spent developing a media-based subject matter… principles about how media revolutions change most everything.
- My purpose now is media literacy education… exploring ideas about how politics, families, education, religion, journalism, foreign policy, individual behaviors, and more are changed as a consequence of media revolutions.
- Lessons learned… insights based on 50 years of study and professional experience. Some of my conclusions are that information-clutter creates public confusion; debating issues often results in polarization; people mostly only hear what they want; repeated lies can eventually sound true; some media favor rational discourse while others appeal mostly to emotions; and much more.
- Media and Civic Literacy Education… in today’s digital world of political chaos and social change, media and civic literacy should be required courses in public schools, universities, and community groups. Citizens must learn how to edit the information they consume, seek a balance of opinions, and most especially identify extreme exaggerations and outright lies.
Larry D. Lauer 