Recently there were dueling essays published in the Wall Street Journal which argued on one side that the internet is making humans smarter, and on the other that it is making humans dumber. Nick Carr has made a bit of a name for himself arguing that technology is ruining our attention span, destroying our creativity, and basically eroding our capacity for focused deep thinking. Clay Shirky on the other hand argues that technology has brought us to the dawn of a new age of inter-connectivity, collaboration, and information-sharing the effects of which will be even more profound than those brought about by the invention of the printing press. Most of us are probably somewhere in between these two extremes, but where do you stand? Is technology opening up the cognitive possibilities of the human mind by giving us infinite information at our fingertips, or is it leaving us lost in a fog of overabundant information and unfocused multi-tasking?
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Is Technology Making us Dumber?
Recently there were dueling essays published in the Wall Street Journal which argued on one side that the internet is making humans smarter, and on the other that it is making humans dumber. Nick Carr has made a bit of a name for himself arguing that technology is ruining our attention span, destroying our creativity, and basically eroding our capacity for focused deep thinking. Clay Shirky on the other hand argues that technology has brought us to the dawn of a new age of inter-connectivity, collaboration, and information-sharing the effects of which will be even more profound than those brought about by the invention of the printing press. Most of us are probably somewhere in between these two extremes, but where do you stand? Is technology opening up the cognitive possibilities of the human mind by giving us infinite information at our fingertips, or is it leaving us lost in a fog of overabundant information and unfocused multi-tasking?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
It's all about balance. It's like your diet, everything is fine in moderation. Tech should be used to enhance the fundamentals not replace them. Yes, we can get dumber but only if the fundamentals and real purpose of tech is lost.
ReplyDeleteTechnology should not be thought of something that makes our lives easier, as the commercials suggest. But, technology, if used correctly, should be used along with the idea of efficiency. For instance, I always ask myself the question, "How would I complete this same task if technology failed on me?"
ReplyDeleteOur culture wants fast, easy, instant gratification, and the internet and technology add to this. Yes it can be very helpful and life-saving and all of those good things, but only when it is not misused. People need to learn to balance! (see a theme here?)
ReplyDeleteI'm scared that people are forgetting how to do things without the use of technology. The answer to everything is google. I feel that technology does more thinking for us and that our brains are not getting as good of a workout as it should. BALANCE
ReplyDeleteI think that the capacity for collaboration is immense. I also think that having so much information at your fingertips is incredibly empowering. As a writer I am amazed at how I can instantly open a new window and find exactly the information that I am looking for in a few seconds. I still remember the old days of traveling to a library and digging through the stacks to find that info. It's incredible, and it can make us smarter if we learn how to use it rather than being used by it.
ReplyDeleteI woke up this morning to a news alert from CNN on my iPhone that I had to force myself NOT to read because I don't think that's a healthy way to start your day:) I tend to agree with Carr and worry that it is at times overload. We MUST take time to remind ourselves to reflect on what it is we're using the technology for.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of this week I would have agreed more with the first argument that technology has gone too far, but it is inevitable that this is now a part of our lives. I have a new appreciation that both worlds can exist, and knowing both worlds will only make us more balanced and able to relate to each other through avenues we never thought possible.
ReplyDeleteThe touchtone for me is balance. I think we need to be reading books to become smarter. Whether those are books on Kindle or books in the public library, the answer for me are between the butterfly's wings. I think technology has allowed us to collaborate in new and exciting ways. Look at Wikipedia...we have so many fast answers right at our finger tips (even better are the resources on Wikipedia that leads you to the larger work). It all depends. What does the learner want? Information is available to all. The smart ones go and get it!
ReplyDeleteYes.
ReplyDeleteNina said the Internet is fast and provides instant gratification. It also offers convenience. I love digital dictionaries because I can read books for the 19th century that use words that aren't in common use and quickly have a definition. Talk about combining the ages. I also agree with white girl about balance and finding new avenues with technology. I think I'm going to hitch a ride on a Universal Serial Bus (USB) or a jump drive and edit some podcasts.
ReplyDeleteMissMichigan, you are echoing my thougts. Our brain needs exercise, too! I am also afraid that something will crash one day and no one will know how to survive. 2012, here we come...
ReplyDeleteMy question is, how do you rely fully on technology? What happens when it's not there for whatever the reason? Six years ago there was an ice storm in Michigan. We had no electricity. People didn't know how to build a fire to cook or how to entertain themselves without TV or internet.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think it makes us dumber. I can't remember anyone's phone number any more. When someone loses/damages their tech., they are lost and tramatized.
ReplyDeleteAs far as being smarter, when using tech. kids must filter information. This is called determining what is important, an essential strategy that they will use in their daily lives.
Hey Morgan. I like your name. Do you think that the majority of the population using the internet is using moderation or not using moderation? I mean let's face it. The web is like candy.
ReplyDeletewhite girl, I completely agree!
ReplyDeleteAgain, it's all about balance. I am a firm believer in "too much of anything is a bad thing." If we use technology with the idea of balance in mind, it can make us smarter, deeper thinkers indeed. And if we don't, then... yea, becoming dumber is definitely a possibility.
ReplyDelete