Well-rounded is one thing, but it depresses me when activities are always with an ultra-pragmatic purpose in mind, usually related to the child's future material success.

I know that you're not suggesting that mindless reading is going to destroy kids--I kind of derailed the conversation with my own rant. You were saying that for reading to have value, you should consider what's being read. That seems fair, and I think does dovetail with my rant. Reading for points commodifies reading. Why not read the cereal box? Or the small print on automobile ads? (Rhetorical question)