Of course, some people will say that the question of what is important and interesting is not in the least problematic. What the President says or does is important; wars are important, rebellions, employment figures, elections, appointments to the Supreme Court. Really? We doubt that even the President believes everything he says is important. (Let us take, for example, President Bush's remark that he doesn't like broccoli.) There are, as we write, more than forty wars and rebellions going on somewhere in the world. Not even The New York Times, which claims to be the "newspaper of public record," reports on all of them, or even most. Are elections important? Maybe. But we doubt you'd be interested in the election in Iowa's Third Congressional District—unless you happen to live there. Some readers will remember the famous comedy routine of the 2,000-Year-Old Man who was discovered in the imagination of Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks. Upon being asked what he believed to be the greatest invention of humankind during his life span, the 2,000-Year-Old Man replied unhesitatingly, "Saran Wrap." Now, there is a great deal to be said for Saran Wrap. We suspect that in the long run it may prove more useful to the well-being of most of us than a number of inventions that are daily given widespread publicity in the news nedia. Yet it is fair to say that no one except its manufacturer knows the date of Saran Wrap's invention, or even cares much to know. Saran Wrap is not news. The color of Liz Taylor's wrap is. Or so some people believe.
vt. 除,除外
prep. & conj.