This was a very interesting article that really helped me explore how our life and how we think constantly is changing because of new technologies. Our brains are constantly are adapting to the world around us and for better or worse…the internet. Like any other technology that has enlightened human kind throughout our existence, the internet has both its promises and perils. It has connected out world together like never before making more and more information available to everyone on the planet. The internet puts “efficiency and immediacy above all else” changing the way we search for information and even think. Every aspect of our life today is changing in order to make it more efficient. In a world that is moving faster and faster every day, time is of the essence more than ever in even the recent past.
In this world where information flows instantly, our knowledge is constantly changing, and new ideas become old in a matter of moments, the internet is the perfect tool to push this process along…or is it? Even with the immense technological advancements that have occurred, nothing can compete with the human brains ability to reason and adapt, and yet we are beginning to let this go to waste by not thinking ourselves. We are content to simply “Google Search” anything we want to know, get a quick summary, and be done. There is no thinking involved to this and I believe this goes right along with some of the points brought up in this article. I fear that I too suffer from many of the fears brought up in this article. Even now, as I type up this entry, my phone buzzing next to me pulls my attention away from this paper. Our ability to concentrate on one task at hand is suffering. This is partially due to an ever expanding world pulling our attention in all directions and the internet which helps connect us to it all.
I found more and more truth in the words of the article as I continued to read on through the seven pages. As I read, I found myself beginning to skip lines, my mind drifting. As I forced myself to concentrate again and again, I realized that there was a lot of truth to the fact that our minds are being trained for shorter more efficient information with every click on the internet. When you go onto the internet, which has become the primary source of information for everyone, you want to quickly and efficiently find what you need, not read through some multipage essay in to find the one desired fact. Whether this is laziness or simply the way of the future I am not sure; however, this is the way it is. Our brain is adapting to this change and maybe we need to let our minds adapt as well. Why can’t there be a way to both be efficient by finding the information we need on the internet, and then use this information to form new ideas? All that needs to occur for this to be accomplished is a little bit of thinking.
This, for some people, is difficult. When many people go online, they do not want to think. As they surf for their information, a Facebook tab flashes telling them they have a new message. Music plays in the background from Pandora Radio as they try to stay concentrated on skimming an article. A buzzing phone grabs up the persons attention as it buzzes. After a simple text is sent, the person must again get back on track while realizing that they simply must change the song! Distractions are more prevalent today than ever, and they are everywhere! At home, at work, at school. Our brain is overwhelmed by the simple volume of information we take in and what choice does it have but skim it and hope it doesn’t miss anything important. So the question is, “Is Google making us stupid?” I believe stupid isn’t the right word. It is changing us, that is for sure, but the internet is also bringing about wonders not even dreamed about in the past. The only way to know for sure is to wait and see what the next 20 years bring us.
I agree with you on almost all of your points, Nick. Even while reading about how people can't concentrate and read a whole article, I too was connected by phone and other devices. I also like how you commented on how new ideas are becoming old quicker than ever before. One point I didn't agree with you on, however, was when you stated that "nothing can compete with the human brains ability to reason and adapt". Isn't that just what the internet and other technologies are attempting to make possible? While we are just simplifying our brains while relying on the internet and Google, these companies are moving forward quickly. How long will it be before we are only equals to certain technologies?
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you said that you believe that "stupid isn't the right word. [Google] is changing us, that's for sure..." I would agree with that 100%. It doesn't feel like our society is becoming dumber, we just want information in a timely manner. We don't want to have to look for information in books, it's too old school and inefficient (<-- obvious sarcasm right there). In all seriousness though, I really do think the internet can be a great thing for the world as long as we use it in moderation. Like you said, it is able to connect the world together like never before. Maybe this change isn't a bad thing...
ReplyDeleteLike you and Halle, I don't think that Google/the internet is making us stupid. It simply allows us to find information quicker and more efficiently than ever before, and this in turn exposes us to more information that our brains can interpret and memorize. If anything this will make us smarter. Carr himself admitted that we read today more than we ever did in the 1970's and 1980's, and this is because of the vast amount of information on the internet that can be accessed with the click of a button. As you mentioned, though, we are inevitably being changed in other ways. How that change affects us in the end is yet to be determined.
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