I had a similar problem when I was your age (which was merely 12 years ago ). I remember when a Geography teacher told as that she would be asking questions about current political situation in the world so we'd better watch 9 o’clock news. In the end I was the only one who had been doing this anyway and on a break before the geography lesson I told my classmates what’s happening. I remember girls in my class being mad about a boyband and had a vague idea who the boys were and when I heard their music I decided not to be interested. I actually red “War and peace” and “Crime and punishment” instead of skipping through a “Russian Literature guide (8th form)”. I was treated as a freak or nerd, which I think I was.

It’s a timeless problem of choice between being like a crowd and fitting in and being a white crow. If you choose former you fell OK for a while but than you realise that you are stack in an dead-end job till your retirement. If you choose the latter you are a doctor, you are a lawyer, you are a director of the film they all pay to see.

I always knew that it would happen as it had. My “know-nothing-about-Shakespeare” classmates came back to my native town and are paid 100S a month. I have a degree, I am a scientist,I’ve been to Paris and London, I speak English – I am really happy that I didn’t waste my time in high school.

As belligerentyouth said I don't think everyone needs to have read Shakespeare to find his or her way. but reading define what way will be yours.

To know soap operas backwards and forwards and inside out (Wordwind) is something as valuable as gossiping about one’s neighbours – kills the time and it’s a topic of conversation. But a true value of it is 0 I am “Friends” fun . you can chew a gum but you can not run a mile if you didn’t eat something more nutritious.

P.S. I find that women in general are less intellectual *because they are more interested in soaps and gossips than in news and politics. [w] will I be bitten for this statement?