Rebecca Bott-Knutson, dean of South Dakota State University’s Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College, announced Tuesday that “Irresistible” is the selection for the 2019 Common Read.

Adam Alter wrote “Irresistible,” which is about the addictive nature of technology and the business of keeping the public hooked on it.

Bott-Knutson, who noted the average adult spends three hours each day on a screen, said the emerging themes for the upcoming Common Read are the ABCS of the conscientious use of technology.

“We look to elevate awareness about these addictive behaviors as well as the intended and unintended consequences of our current level of engagement,” Bott-Knutson said. “A is access and how technology augments access or has created an inequity of access. B is behavior and how one understands the addictive nature of technology. C is connection and how technology allows one to connect with others or not connect with others while S is safety and how we need to consider the implications of technology on personal security and mental well-being.”

As part of the Common Read, numerous events and conversations will occur on campus and in the community during the fall to engage in the topic.

The Common Read series started in 2009. It was designed to raise the level of academic challenge at SDSU, enhance our awareness of diverse perspectives, increase faculty and student interaction, encourage service and promote enriching, engaging educational experiences both inside and outside of the classroom.

Throughout the fall semester, the Common Read Committee partners with the Brookings Human Rights Commission and other campus and community groups to sponsor and support Common Read events on campus and within the Brookings community.