LOVING TO LEARN IS A CHALLENGE

Fareed Zakaria, In Defense of a Liberal Education (New York & London: Norton, 2015) ("[O]ne can always read a book to get basic information about a particular topic, or simply use Google. The crucial challenge is to learn how to read critically, analyze data, and formulate idea--and most of all to enjoy the intellectual adventure enough to be able to do them easily and often." "Loving to learn is a greater challenge today than it used to be. I've watched my children grow up surrounded by an amazing cornucopia of entertainment available instantly on their computers, tablets, and phones. Perhaps soon these pleasures will be hardwired into their brains. The richness, variety, and allure of today's games, television shows, and videos are dazzling. Many are amazingly creative, and some are intellectually challenging--there are smart video games out there. But all are designed to get children enraptured and, eventually, addicted. The all-consuming power of modern entertainment can turn something that demands active and sustained engagement, like reading and writing, into a chore." Id. at 61-62. I was disappointed with this book as a defense of liberal education. Still, at least it is a defense).