Complete access to vast information has caused us humans to be rather lazy and unmotivated. The internet answers any question we may have, lessening the need of asking another human being. Perhaps that will turn us antisocial. Teenagers already spend copious amounts of time on their phones tweeting and posting rather then engaging in conversation. Scary enough, teenagers will "hang out" with each other, but do nothing but sit on their phones in the same room. It's almost like the internet is becoming our brain and only form of entertainment.
Crazy enough, this paper took me three days to read because I became so distracted. I had never given much thought to life before the internet. I've always gotten used to the concept of the internet being the all knowing data base, but in reality, we all could be the all knowing data base. With the popularity of the internet growing, the need for education is declining. Why learn something when you can find the answer online in seconds? Personally, I value education and acquiring knowledge because the internet can not and will never have the capability of human compassion and other emotions. Plus, some ideas can only be created in the mind of a human. What will happen if the internet is taken away? Who will really be the survivors in the world? The people who still search for answers through their own discovery.
Another thing the internet has done is decreased our memory. In the past, stories and information were passed by word of mouth, frequently exercising our memory. In the present, we don't have the need to remember as much information since it is supplied conveniently in one place. Regardless of some seemingly unconnected information, this article sure did make me think. A very true statement was made later on in the paper that caught my attention. The statement was in regards to how divided time not only changes how we think, but how we feel. It said that we decide when to eat, sleep, wake up based on time rather than our senses, which is exceedingly true. My alarm clock rings at 8 am everyday telling me it's time to start my day or I go to bed not because I am tired, but because it is "late".
The introduction of computers also changed the way we refer to ourselves. In metaphors such as "brain works like a computer", we compare our intellectual knowledge to that of a machine's generated knowledge. Weirdly enough, those two things don't even compare. Obviously the human brain is still capable of things that the computer is not. It wasn't apparent to me of how much we rely on the internet until I read this article. I reflected on where I would find answers to any question and the answer is almost always the internet. That's exactly what Google wants us to think, that every answer can be found on the internet.
So is Google really making us stupid? I wouldn't say we are becoming more stupid, but I can totally agree with us becoming more lazy. Before the internet, answers had to be dug up in books or asked to real people. Even before then, the answers were simply passed by word of mouth, frequently exercising our memories. Convenience is a trending value and will grow in popularity the faster and larger the internet becomes. In the end, Google won't be the one to make us stupid. It will be our own addiction to efficiency and laziness that will slaughter our IQs.
Annotated Article (Copy and Paste URL): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B76mZL1iTViybEFoR2ZVTnc2U28/edit?usp=sharing
You bring up some excellent points here. Although it is outstandingly useful and genius, I think this heavy dependence on the Internet that mankind has developed is unhealthy. There are many problematic effects of this, but what scares me the most is how real human interaction is diminishing. The Internet is an incredible tool that can quickly become harmful.
ReplyDeleteI feel that I must disagree with you. Though I agree with the need for efficiency making us dependent, curiosity still rules in our minds. The fact that we are able to respond to this points out that we aren't slaves to the internet.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your opinion on how Google only makes us lazy and our memory isn't used to its full capability. The convenience of having this tool only makes us sometimes dependent on finding the quickest answer. We don't need to remember as much as we may have used to because it is right on our fingertips with a lingering answer. It is true that our phones have completely taken over our world as we have the advantage to use a fast database. I loved how you pointed out that "teenagers will "hang out" with each other, but do nothing but sit on their phones in the same room." This is sadly true because we worry too much about our phones. I think technology is definitely a benefit, but also a very negative thing for our minds.
ReplyDeleteHey Zoe! I agree with you on most points, and it still amazes me how vast the Internet and technology really is. It's omnipresence and impact in our world is so tremendous that, as you said, most people would be rendered helpless without. Although, I find that there is so much positive impact and education that derives from technology that it's hard to blame so many problems on. It sort of boils down to whether we want our education to be about quality or quantity (which is a whole other argument on its own).
ReplyDeleteYou had a very strong closing statement. I really liked your comment that "convenience is a trending value" and also how we are addicted to our own laziness-- questioning if its Google's fault or our own.