I think of it as “people” means focusing on what a particular person said or did. Trump, Obama, Reagan, your church leader, a celebrity, a spouse, etc. Sometimes the person discussing the topic is accepting a thought process because of who said it, and so they might be succumbing to the cognitive bias called Halo Effect. Putting too much weight on the speaker’s opinion, especially when that person has no real expertise on a topic, but rather you like them for one reason and decide they are smart and good in all realms.
Discussing “events” is usually reacting to something that has happened. Natural disasters isn’t what I think of, but definitely can and should be included. I think of mass shootings, covid, elections, protests, significant Supreme Court rulings, that sort of thing.
Discussing “ideas” is more abstract, but also is trying to understand how society works and hopefully better it. More on the lines of philosophy, but hopefully paired with positive actions.
That’s what it all means to me.