Incurious George

I was reading this post on Tapped about the Israeli government's involvement in illegal settlement activity when I saw this quote from an article about Natan Sharansky:

Natan Sharansky is George W. Bush's favorite author. Since his re-election, the U.S. president has used every opportunity to praise "The Case for Democracy," the new book by the former Soviet dissident, now an Israeli cabinet minister. "That thinking, that's part of my presidential DNA," Bush told The New York Times. Last Wednesday, appearing with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder in Mainz, Bush said: "Sharansky's book confirmed how I was raised and what I believe."

Now, I've long believed that the President's complete absence of curiosity is his greatest moral failing, but his remarks above still surprised me. It is certainly disheartening to hear Bush say with pride that he didn't learn anything new when reading his favorite author's latest book. But it is even more depressing to hear Bush say that he likes Sharansky's book precisely because it doesn't challenge any of his beliefs.

Most people who like reading enjoy the intellectual challenge of a good book, and look forward to the chance to encounter new ideas and perspectives. Perhaps Bush is not a person who enjoys that kind of experience. But given the awesome power of the presidency and the responsibility that entails, maybe Bush should give it a try.