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Does it matter what we read? Of course. But how? And how does what we read and hear shape our lives, particularly in democracy? This First-Year Seminar explores these questions across broad categories: social sciences; public writing of all kinds (for children and adults); and the sciences. For instance, we will explore how teachers’ words of encouragement affect children across demographics, and what the implications are for future civic participation. We’ll ask what happens when a victim of hate crime publicly forgives the perpetrator, how poems and stories shape life choices, and how cognitive neuroscience can contribute to social justice. Our inquiry will be rooted in intellectual life at Homewood, ranging from Earth & Planetary Sciences research to SNF Agora Institute events. We will close with a symposium reflecting our debates and discoveries.