Why doesn't everyone read user manuals?

According to a recent article in The Washington Post, ome people would rather take a class, some would rather call a support line and get an immediate answer without all the bother of flipping pages. Most people just want the 'thing,' whatever it is to just 'work.'

...Americans "won't read cell-phone manuals, any kitchen appliance manual" -- and forget the VCR manual," Laermer said. The PR executive knows what he's talking about. "Personally, I've bought a lot of stereo equipment, and I know they came with manuals -- I've got a whole file drawer full of them -- but I haven't read a single one. I want something that comes out of box that I can just plug in and it works."

The problem with wanting everything to 'just work,' though is that everything has gotten more complicated. Attempts at solutions include brightly colored stickers, computer interfaces, and condensed instructions with graphical illustrations. And those 800 numbers may also be part of the problem: "It appears that when a lot of people see that an 800 number is available, they find it much easier to call than to sit down and read the manual."