So let’s be honest, no one has the time or the energy to become an expert on every controversial issue happening in our society.
There’s LGBTQ rights, Black Lives Matter, feminism, abortion, drug use, and the list goes on.
So, what’s a person to do?
Unfortunately, many people will choose to give up their voices entirely. It’s too difficult to explore all the facts, so why bother even trying. It’s the same ideology of, “I’m just one person, my vote doesn’t matter.”
I say it’s unfortunate, because what this often leads to is extremists from both sides of any argument being the only ones who are heard. There’s no common ground, there’s no level headedness, there’s no compromise, which means there is no room to grow.
Educating yourself doesn’t literally mean that you need to pay for a politics class or a history class. You don’t need to buy a plethora of books, and it doesn’t need to cost you a thing, besides a Netflix account if you don’t already have one.
Watching documentaries is an easy way to gain information on any matter within around two hours.
The following examples will not cover every topic there is in society, but it’s an excellent start to anyone looking to explore these controversial issues.
13th
13th is a documentary recently released on Netflix that covers the 13th amendment to the American constitution that abolished slavery, with one exception. Criminals can basically still be treated as slaves. This documentary follows how this one exception to the amendment has shaped our society throughout the 20th century up to where we are now.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V66F3WU2CKk]
Miss Representation
If you’ve ever wondered how exactly women are struggling in our society, this is the documentary for you. Miss Representation goes through many of the different ways women struggle for proper representation in the media, as well as in the government.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2UZZV3xU6Q]
The Mask You Live In
On the other side, The Mask You Live In tackles the struggles that young men face with dealing with their emotions and expressing themselves properly. Act like a man or man up are forced into the minds of boys from a very early age, who eventually grow into emotionally constipated men.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc45-ptHMxo]
After Tiller
I chose this documentary hesitantly because I know how controversial abortions are, let alone late term abortions. So please, take this with an open mind. I am not pushing anyone to change their beliefs. I’m simply showing a different perspective to a controversial issue. After Tiller discusses the reasons for late term abortions, most of which have to do with severe health issues with the fetus.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf3rETOO62s]
Blackfish
Blackfish is arguably the most popular documentary on this list, and most people generally get the idea. It covers animal cruelty in keeping animals in captivity for amusement purposes, particularly at Seaworld. Nonetheless, it is still worth watching.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLOeH-Oq_1Y]
