Condensed Citizenship

A committee I'm on has been asked to list three books all undergraduates should read.

Hmm. I know what I don't want to list -- Plato's Republic. I used Cliff notes myself, so I'm sure most of my students will try something similar.

It's still an interesting question. And it's made me focus on an issue in my own life that I've been avoiding for years. A "dirty little secret," especially for someone in academia. So here it is:

I don't read nonfiction books.

Oh, I skim certain titles, and I've sampled my way through a vast selection of technical books, but I haven't actually read a nonfiction book in, well, years.

Instead of reading I listen to my colleagues really closely, and I read reviews (Thanks, Amazon!) so I know the main points (and a few weaknesses) of the latest books I should read.

Part of me thinks this makes me superficial. Another part of me says it's a clear indicator that I don't have enough free time in my life. (Yeah, I played the video game Gun for an hour and a half this morning.)

But part of me thinks that's just how most people operate, but most people are also afraid to admit it. We live in a condensed society, surrounded by PowerPoint bullets, news "bulletins" and Good Morning America. We're inundated with information, and I think most of us are looking for an easy way out.

I can't decide if I'm superficial or wise. Maybe, in our world, there isn't a difference. Maybe superficiality is wise, since it keeps us from drowning in Anna Kournikova websites, movie reviews, and Paula Abdul's new line of jewelry.

My new motto (maybe): superficial is smart.