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During a blazing Q&A session on the University of New Brunswick’s (UNB) Fredericton campus, award-winning author and Canadian journalist Carol Off engaged a UNB student sitting in the front row.

“Do you feel you are informed? Do you feel that you’re getting the news?” Off asked before handing the student her microphone.

This type of collaborative engagement set the tone for the evening.

On Nov. 19, Off participated in UNB’s Reading Series to discuss her new bestselling book At a Loss for Words: Conversation in the Age of Rage.

The event was organized by UNB English professors Dr. John Ball and Dr. Sue Sinclair in collaboration with the independent Fredericton bookstore Westminster Bookmark.

“Off’s new book digs deep into six words whose meanings have been distorted and weaponized in recent years—freedom, democracy, truth, woke, choice and taxes—and asks whether we can reclaim their value,” Ball said.

Over two hundred audience members from different faculties and community groups packed the auditorium to discuss democratic values in the current socio-political climate.

From the podium, Off spoke about navigating today’s media landscape and the importance of considering where, how and from whom information is being delivered.

“To name something, [author] Robert Macfarlane told me, is to know it a little better, to see it a little more clearly, and maybe care for it a bit more.

“We need to be able to trust our language and each other,” said Off.

She reflected on wealth redistribution, social safety nets and the impact of taxes on public services. The conversation also touched on media literacy, the role of traditional news sources and the importance of community-level information sharing as a way to maintain democratic values and vigilance.

Off turned the spotlight to students, encouraging them to participate in proactive dialogue throughout the evening and in their everyday lives.

“In humanities and in literature, I have learned so much about how to think. That is where we get to know people who are different than us and develop some sense of empathy and understanding,” Off explained.

“I have tremendous faith in this generation. I just taught a course in the humanities and the students were the most amazing young people I’ve encountered. It wasn’t just that they were whip-smart and had this media literacy training...They’re aware of things we are not—and ready to fix them.”

Off’s advice for students is to look beyond the emotional and listen very carefully to the information they’re being fed.

“There are so many young people engaged in this discussion with fresh ideas ... they know there’s real work, really difficult things to be done.

“I’m hoping [my] book gives them some guidance on the kind of society that they should be advocating for.”

After the reading, students, professors and community members formed a line to meet Off. Among this group stood some high school students reflecting excitedly on the evening’s reading and ensuing discussion.

They described how Off had spoken to them directly—her messages aligning with their desire to understand and be aware of the world around them, how politics and government operate and the power of engagement—good advice no matter what one's age.