Is it’s not an either/or proposition. There is a dearth of informed populace. But many of the problems in a modern society are very complex and boring to the majority of people. There is a very small population of informed people. Getting things done requires swaying public opinion and “motivating your base”. Real reporting (presenting or revealing facts), op-ed, comedy, satire are all part of a healthy media ecosystem. But I think one reason for the political divide in the United States is not necessarily a disagreement on policy, but rather the very issues that motivate people on either end of the spectrum are different. It would be great if the population was less impressionable and more informed. But that requires ongoing effort and flies against human nature.

Wanting people to have longer attention spans is not an actionable choice on the menu. But it can be a goal/target.

This is where preferences meet reality. How do you influence the world to work the way you want it to?