Thanks.

Let us be realistic; trifles always will have more readers than articles requiring some critical thinking. But even those addicted to trivia do not like to feel stupid.

In Chicago, where I live, we have an ongoing drama of the declining Chicago Tribune. Once, I saw an acquaintance carrying mail from his mailbox with a copy of the NYT in the bundle. I commented that he also gave up on the Tribune. He answered that at least occasionally, one needs to read an article requiring looking at the dictionary to check the meaning of a word used.

We all have that subconscious desire to be cleverer, to make the world a better place, but our weakness is postponing it until tomorrow because today, the sins of mindless trivia taste so good. Media owners, Ev included, need to decide if they want to make money by facilitating our sins of today or our desires to make the world a better place.