> How is democracy or any discussion as a society supposed to work if people don't know about the issues going on?

It's not supposed to work. Democracy makes us fell like we have a say in politics, but we really don't.

If we did, there wouldn't be mass surveillance, governments wouldn't be taking away our rights, and criminalizing entire segments of the population.

But hey, at least we can vote once every few years, for one of two to four candidates who claim to be different (but really just work for the same interests anyway).