In his years as a Sacramento-area city manager, a lot of choice terms have been used to describe Ray Kerridge. "Renaissance man" has seldom been one of them.
But Kerridge, Roseville's city manager, is embracing learning for the sake of knowledge by taking online humanities courses.
His current topic for research is the nature of evil.
Pornography is another topic he's taken on. Kerridge, who previously served as Sacramento's city manager, said no work computers were used for that research.
Kerridge said he's not considering a career change, he just wants to be more well-rounded.
"I look at Picasso and it looks like a mess," Kerridge said. "I know he's a genius, but I don't know why.'
Kerridge said he takes the classes online through California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Kerridge may be pursuing a masters of humanities degree, but he's not particularly concerned whether or not he finishes.
"I like to do it because I don't have to," he said.
Gene Crumley, chairman of the Business and Leadership Department at the UC Davis Extension program, said students of all ages are welcome to take classes on extension campuses or within the general campus environment through the Open Classroom program.
He said there is a medical reason that learning is fun.
"Our brains, literally over hundreds of thousands of years, have developed this dopamine system that when you learn something you are rewarded," Crumley said. "Learning can be addictive."
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