> What kind of things (books, magazines, forums, etc) helped you to become so knowledgeable and/or engaged in these world/cultural issues?
Curiosity in general.
My local library system has a limit on the maximum number of holds you can have at any given time (100), and every since the the pandemic started I've continually been at that limit.
I read a book, and it has references/footnotes, which leads to more books. Or while I'm look at one book I look at other books on the same topic, e.g., reading about WW2 in general:
All of the above books are available at my local library system (I'm in a major city) so I don't have to spend any money or take up space in my domicile.
Repeat going down the rabbit hole for the topics of science, philosophy, history (ancient, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Enlightenment), etc.
Curiosity in general.
My local library system has a limit on the maximum number of holds you can have at any given time (100), and every since the the pandemic started I've continually been at that limit.
I read a book, and it has references/footnotes, which leads to more books. Or while I'm look at one book I look at other books on the same topic, e.g., reading about WW2 in general:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Second_World_War_(book)
I end up reading book specifically on Stalingrad, the taking of Berlin, and D-Day, Operation Market Garden, Operation Chowhound:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalingrad_(Beevor_book)
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin:_The_Downfall_1945
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Longest_Day_(book)
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(book)
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operations_Manna_and_Chowhound
On legal history:
* https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/M/bo562094...
* https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300116007/origins-reason...
* https://utpress.utexas.edu/books/perlman-ancient-greek-law-i...
All of the above books are available at my local library system (I'm in a major city) so I don't have to spend any money or take up space in my domicile.
Repeat going down the rabbit hole for the topics of science, philosophy, history (ancient, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Enlightenment), etc.