For my final video project, I am going to make a video explaining how we can use elements of our digital literacy(s) to improve on our civic virtue. This includes going to go into detail about the use of social media activism, GoFundMe, and online voter services intended to make your life easier. Over the past 80 years our civic virtue has taken a large hit as we have fallen into a state of valuing our self-interest rather than the good of society. Our founding fathers fought for ideas of classical republicanism two of which are a high emphasis on social contract and civic virtue. We can apply our technological abilities to help each other and to help society.
Most discussions of civic virtue center on the obligation of citizens to participate in society by performing the minimally necessary activities in support of the state, like paying taxes. However, political theorists agree that the total of a person’s well-being is not only because his or her own talents but part of social cooperation, or civic virtue. To promote cooperation, Aristotle argued that civic virtue involved citizens taking part in ruling and being ruled. Others have highlighted the essential virtues of justice, courage, or honesty. (A part of the discussion in the civic virtue document.)
- Banyan, M. E. (2016, November 23). Civic virtue. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/civic-virtue
- US Census Bureau. (2017, May 10). Voting in America: A Look at the 2016 Presidential Election. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/newsroom/blogs/random-samplings/2017/05/voting_in_america.html
- Willingham, A. (2017, January 23). 25 ways to be politically active (whether you lean left or right). Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/15/politics/ways-to-be-more-politically-active-trnd/index.html
- Start a petition · Change.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.change.org/start-a-petition?utm_source=sem&utm_medium=google_ad&utm_campaign=SearchSAPUSNonBrand-Tier 1DiscoveryExact&utm_term=petition sign|e|AG:54074940222|AD:338779878633&utm_content=2019_05_14&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-u6IppOb4gIVkVANCh2iewDoEAAYAiAAEgIctfD_BwE&inspvar=false
- Steinmetz, K. (2017, November 09). Why ‘Thoughts and Prayers’ Are Causing Controversy. Retrieved from http://time.com/5016382/thoughts-and-prayers-mass-shootings-language/
- Cillizza, C. (2014, March 19). Americans read headlines. And not much else. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/03/19/americans-read-headlines-and-not-much-else/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.85bbec482d5b
