SHALLOW

SHALLOW IS DEFINED AS SUPERFICIAL, HAVING LITTLE KNOWLEDGE, NOT PROFOUND, WHERE THE BOTTOM IS NOT FAR FROM THE SURFACE. THE WORD IS PROBABLY FROM A MIDDLE ENGLISH WORD FOR SHOAL, WHERE SCHOOLS OF FISH SWIM. WHO MIGHT PERSONIFY THIS TOTALITY OF BEING? WHO TODAY SAID THAT WOMEN WHO WOULD RATHER HAVE ANOREXIC THAN OBESE CHILDREN WERE "SHALLOWER THAN JOHN KERRY'S VISION," BUT IRONICALLY DID NOT CATCH THE IRONY OF HIS STATEMENT?

I BEGIN EACH DAY WITH THE VERBAL STATIC OF GLENN BECK'S SHALLOWNESS. HE A RADIO TALK SHOW HOST WHOSE NATIONAL PROGRAM IS THE THIRD MOST LISTENED TO IN THE COUNTRY. WHAT FURTHER CAN BE SAID ABOUT AN A.D.D. AFFLICTED FORTY- SOMETHING ADDICTED TO POPULAR TELEVISION PROGRAMS SUCH AS "24", "AMERICAN IDOL" AND "DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES," CURRENT HOLLYWOOD MOVIE GOING AND NOW TO HIS "FEAR FACTOR," HIS PHYSICAL APPEARANCE (WEIGHT) BECAUSE HE HAS A NIGHTTIME TELEVISION NEWS SHOW?

POOR GLENN. CAN'T FINISH A BOOK, CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT HIS PUBLIC, COULDN'T WAIT TO CREATE A CHILD AS FATE INTENDED. RICH GLENN WHOSE SPONSORS OF HIS RADIO SHOW, LIKE RUSH LIMBAUGH'S, ADVERTISE NOTHING THAT COMMON FOLK CAN AFFORD, COMMON PEOPLE, THAT BOTH GLENN AND RUSH PURPORT TO REPRESENT, OR DO THEY? RICH GLENN WHO WANTS TO "HAVE IT ALL" BUT OFTEN RHAPSODIZES LIKE THE BUDDHA WHO DESIRES NOTHING. SHALLOWNESS, HOWEVER, APPARENTLY HAS POPULAR APPEAL. THE FOLLOWERS OF MR. BECK ADMIRE THE TRANSPARENCIES OF RELIGIOUS AND CONSERVATIVE CONVICTIONS. PERHAPS THEY RELATE TO A DEPTH THAT IS NOT FAR FROM THE TOP, IN A SHOAL INHABITED BY "REAL" AMERICA?