Most kids, left to their own devices, either won't read or will read shit. That carries over into young adulthood-- witness the slouching beast that is pop culture. Take one look at the magazines at a grocery store checkout, or the lad mags. The human brain has a limited capacity, that can be filled with good stuff or bad stuff. Things like Hamlet or Great Expectations or 1984 are still relevant today. I'm like you; I could've done without some of the more boring ones, but looking back I'm glad I was given the foundation.