Sad Professor Lyrics

Lyric discussion by ecd28 

Cover art for Sad Professor lyrics by R.E.M.

I'm struck by some similarities to Nabokov's "Lolita," narrated by the character Humbert Humbert (who is a professor). It has a similar tone--knowing that what he's doing is self-destructuve, but unable and unwilling to not do it. Also, in the book, Humbert Humbert addresses the reader as "Dear readers"