Here's A Provocative Thought, or Why I Enjoy Reading So Much

Whenever one reads a Douglas Coupland novel (as I'm currently halfway into his latest release, but I own them all if you want to borrow any), it isn't so much about the character development (which I think he gets a bad rap on) or the satire of pop culture (which everyone regards as brilliant and insightful)--yes, I agree his stream of consciousness entries get annoying--it's about the little nuggets of thought found in the interplay between the characters. In this case, a bunch of software workers with lots of time to kill in the office.

Here's one that really got my mind working overtime yesterday. It came from a dialogue between co-workers Bree and Ethan when she was wowed by his ability to remember all the types of salad dressing in the door of the break room refrigerator:

"How do you remember all that [stuff]?"

"Brain wiring. I've always been able to remember brand names. I have this theory about smart people. If you're smart, you're either the only person in your family who's smart, or everybody in the family is smart. No in-betweens."

I've been thinking about my extended family on this, and my maternal family side are all college graduates and most hold advanced degrees...but my paternal family is more blue-collar types.

Funny thing is, there are ones I'd consider smart and others I'd consider to be on the other side of the ledger on both sides. If there was ever an in-between family in this regard, it's mine.

I think that's why I enjoy reading so much. My mind engages. It makes me feel alive. Unlike most television or movies, which only entertain. Even a bad book can do that.

But Coupland's a good writer...and he's got another insight on why people hate meetings I might just bring up tomorrow.