I always wonder when reading essays like this, why do authors start them off with little stories meant to put down their readers. Why would you spin me the yarn of being this uncultured, self-absorbed modern man that can't be bothered to browse a bookshop's shelves unless some arcane signal penetrates all the way down through their dulled intellect. Even if I'd be that person, reminding me of it will make me go read through the rest in an adversarial way at best, or I'll make me stop reading it all together.