The following is a conversation (verbatim) I had with an acquaintance, this past weekend.

"I know, it's a bit insane" she said.
"What's insane?" I asked.
"As soon as you notice the dates on the newspaper I am reading" she responded, "you'll think I'm insane." So I said, "okay, I'll bite, what's the date of that specific newspaper you are reading, and I might as well ask about the rest of them in that pile next to you."

"June 2008", she said.

I know it's probably bad form to say, "yup, that's insane."  I opted for a "well, it is a tad eccentric."
"I know" she said, "but it's a thing I do, I must read every word of every paper, and I sometimes fall behind."
"But, she added, gotta tell you, the news was much better then."

I guess it might be hard for her to have a pithy conversation at a cocktail party, water cooler or some such gathering place, about what's currently happening…but she'd be great in giving some historical perspective, wouldn't she?

And so I loved the article in August's Vanity Fair Magazine, What's A Culture Snob To Do?  If, in fact, we are judged (somewhat, but more often than not) by what we are reading, the age of the Kindle, iphone, and any other electronic media, has denied us the opportunity of being instantly judgmental.

Don't agree?

When was the last time you espied a really really attractive person,observed them as they retrieved a book from their bag, and, much to your dismay (you were hoping for something that would, perhaps, prompt a conversation), saw they were reading, something along the lines of, Bridges of Madison County, the sequel. Unless, of course,that person opposite you was Clint Eastwood.

Yes, I am that shallow.

Anyway, if I can't make snap judgments about you by what you are reading anymore, I'll have to rely on something else. Maybe the fact that you have your iPhone, iPod, your Kindle and your laptop all spread before you says all I need to know about you.