Has the Internet Become Your Outsourced Memory
The debates are ongoing about the effects the Internet has on our capacity to learn with pundits on both sides of the fence citing statistics in their favor. The speed with which we can access vast amounts of information has been nothing less than revolutionary. But what impact has this had on our intellectual growth and our ability to learn?
When was the last time you had a debate with someone that didn't include either you or the person whom you are debating referencing Google to prove their point? The statistics show we are reading less books each year as the amount of reading we do online increases. The type of reading is very different and doesn't have the same results. Researchers speak frequently of cognitive load when speaking of the Internet. The amount of information we can handle at a given time. There is simply too much information given to us too quickly which enhances our ability to navigate very quickly but at a cost of what many believe is our ability to deeply learn. In his book The Shallows Nicholas Carr cites numerous research that shows a correlation to the amount of time we spend on the Internet and a deterioration of both our long term and short term memory which greatly inhibits our ability to retain and learn things. Some argue there is actually no need for memory of the need to learn all that much because anything we want to know is simply a click away.
The Internet is here to stay and as time progresses will become a more integral part of our lives but it is necessary to maintain a healthy balance. The very last thing we want is to become a society that is so dependent on our machines that we need them to think for us and become ur outsourced brain. Or have we already reached that point?
#elliotyi
#paradigmleft
#habits
#mindset
When was the last time you had a debate with someone that didn't include either you or the person whom you are debating referencing Google to prove their point? The statistics show we are reading less books each year as the amount of reading we do online increases. The type of reading is very different and doesn't have the same results. Researchers speak frequently of cognitive load when speaking of the Internet. The amount of information we can handle at a given time. There is simply too much information given to us too quickly which enhances our ability to navigate very quickly but at a cost of what many believe is our ability to deeply learn. In his book The Shallows Nicholas Carr cites numerous research that shows a correlation to the amount of time we spend on the Internet and a deterioration of both our long term and short term memory which greatly inhibits our ability to retain and learn things. Some argue there is actually no need for memory of the need to learn all that much because anything we want to know is simply a click away.
The Internet is here to stay and as time progresses will become a more integral part of our lives but it is necessary to maintain a healthy balance. The very last thing we want is to become a society that is so dependent on our machines that we need them to think for us and become ur outsourced brain. Or have we already reached that point?
#elliotyi
#paradigmleft
#habits
#mindset
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