I cannot speak to how informed people were "back in the day" (I bet data exists for 50 years ago, someone find it!). But please have a conversation with someone, read facebook, look at memes, read the comments to the Tulsa World. People in general are not informed. But don't just rely on anecdotes...
Poll after poll. Study after study. The majority of Americans are ignorant of the basics of how our government works, economics, history, geography. This is so well known that Presidential candidates now gives speeches at a 7th Grade level, assuming Americans comprehension and knowledge base is on par with an 11 year old.
- Only 34% can name the three branches of government. Only a portion of those can name what they do.
- Only 25% can name more than 1 freedom guaranteed by the 1st Amendment (1/1000 can name all 5).
- Only 20% can name the number of US Senators, but they're sure every one of them sucks but their own.
- Nearly 50% think the US President can suspend the Constitution. 35% knows Congress declares war or that the Senate can override a Presidential Veto. 60% think the President appoints judges without senate approval.
- Less than 50% of Americans can name the country that dropped the atomic bomb.
- 25% know the terms serve by Congressman and Senators
- 45% believe "revolutionary speech against the government" is punishable under the US Constitution
- Don't bother asking about history - 30% don't know what the Holocaust was, what dates things took place, or basics about global conflicts
- Most don't understand basic political terms or definitions (left, right, fascist, Nazi, communist, socialist, etc.)
- World politics? Most Americans can't find countries we are currently bombing when presented with a map
- Science knowledge is abysmal
- Basic economics is even worse.
- The number of Americans who follow politics has dropped (26%), while the number of Americans who try to convince others of their political views has risen (40%).
Don't confuse willingness to engage with being informed.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaredmeyer/2016/06/27/american-voters-are-ignorant-but-not-stupid/#3de391257ff1https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/millions-americans-are-embarrassingly-ill-informed-and-they-do-not-care-0https://wysu.org/content/commentary/are-american-voters-stupidhttp://www.pewresearch.org/topics/public-knowledge/