[RonF]

Read the Federalist Papers. Then imagine, if you will, how successful you would be in influencing public opinion by writing and printing such essays today. Each one would have to be condenses into two or 3 paragraphs, or no one would read them. And the references to other classic works in them would never work at all.

Mind you, I'm a strong supporter of getting people to read the Federalist Papers; I'm just noting how times have changed.

[Chemist_Geek]

Then imagine, if you will, how successful you would be in influencing public opinion by writing and printing such essays today. Each one would have to be condenses into two or 3 paragraphs, or no one would read them. And the references to other classic works in them would never work at all.

How sad, but true.

[JRandomFreeper]

Then imagine, if you will, how successful you would be in influencing public opinion by writing and printing such essays today.

Take heart. I just spent the last two weeks on annual tour with a 22 year old that was facinated by history. She was abysmally ignorant, and needed a primer for anything prior to 1980, but was open to learning about history, regardless of the time period.

We watched the movie about the Cuban crises (13 Days?) together. I had to pause the movie repeatedly to answer her questions about related history, but she soaked it up like a sponge. (while developing a dislike for McNamara)

As an AF Reservist, she had heard of General LeMay, but had no clue about the general being an amateur radio operator that introduced SSB communications to SAC, or his role in the development of the M-16.

If we teach them, they will learn.

/john