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SCHMOLL'S ENGLISH 305...WELCOME TO THE COURSE BLOG.
As an online course, the writing that we do in English 305 is substantially different from a face to face course. As such, it is imperative that you understand the course style from the start. Nearly all of your work in this course will be posted on the course blog. EACH WEEK YOU WILL HAVE THREE BLOG ASSIGNMENTS: 1. A BLOG ENTRY, 2. A READING, AND 3. A WRITING ABOUT THE READING.
Your reading and writing on the blog must be completed by the Friday (by midnight) of the week in which the reading falls. You have all week each week to complete the reading and writing for that week, but there are no late assignments accepted, so be sure to be disciplined about the work from the start.
Let me re-state that point; if you do the assigned work before or during the week it is due, you will receive full credit. If you do the work after the Friday of the week it is assigned, you will get zero credit for that week.
Grading Scale
GRADING SCALE:
Weekly Blog Entries: 10%
Writing About the Reading: 10%
Restaurant Review: 20% (DUE SEPT 24)
Tipping Point Essay Final Draft: 30% (ROUGH DRAFT DUE OCT 28) (FINAL DRAFT DUE NOV 4)
In Class Essay: 10%
Peer Revision: 10%
Participation: 10%
Friday, August 12, 2011
WEEK FIVE WRITING ABOUT WHAT YOU READ:
So, answer the question, is google making us stupid? Do you agree with the author?
For me, I don’t remember a time when google didn’t exist. I have been brought up in this virtual world and wouldn’t know the first step to living without google. The first thing I do when opening a webpage is usually entering google and then moving on from there, it is my homepage on my home computer. Although google does make things easier, I don’t think it necessarily makes us less smart. Information is easily accessible, but I still have no problem reading a long article or getting into a good book. The web just allows people to be lazy, they can choose to sit and read a book or google it and get the fast facts. Since we live in such a fast paced world, this is the outlet most people use. This is just the world we live in and whether we want it to affect us or not, it is the way of life.
Iam agree with Lacey that we are living ew world,gogles makes our job easier.but for me google/internet is artificial intelligence.when i was in school,out teacher tought us tosolve long calculation of math and the way to do we were not using calculators even calculators were present but not allowed to use calculators and still I feel that I am very good in calculation but now adays students are dependant on calculators.last week I was taking statics class from teacher and she did notknow how to solve the sum and she searchedanswer on google by applying equation,this is not the way to teach students.now teachers are also lazy bcz they know they can access to answers.I am in medicl profession, I know we are going to google very fast and getting informtion about medicine and diagnosis very fast but we are leaving hbits of looking medical dictionaries also.I am agree that internet makes our life easy but it also makeslazy because everything is already ready on internet now students/person does not want to think and use own brains thats why I m saying google/internet is artificial brain. what will happen if internet stops to work,person feels helpless because people are dependent on internet now.Change is good,advance technology is good but do not let internet to rule over your brain.I still enjoy to read a book, lengthy artices it attaches me with writter and his thinking and topic about it is written.reading long articles gives you sense of doing something at your own, attaches you with reality.So internet is neccessary for us but not everything for us.we should use internet to enhance our memory and intelligence not to make our brain helpless without internet.........veena kumari
In five or Ten years I can see myself married with a few children. I hope that I will be a social worker by then and helping children in bad situations. I hope that I will be settled and feel like I have made right choices. I hope that I will have traveled to Italy and Ireland before then because I have always dreamed about going there before I started a family. I also hope that my parents are still a big part of my life. I want them to still be near to me to see their grandchildren and be a part of their lives. Most of all, I can see myself happy and living life to the fullest.
I do have to agree with the girls above me. I remember from the time I was little that technology was present though it was not as prevelant as is today. Google is the first thing people think of when they need to look something up fast. It has become the dictionary, the encyclopedia, the trivia place to go and no I do not believe it makes us less smart but I do agree with Lacey that it makes us lazy. People do have a tendency to take the first thing that comes up and a response as gospel and that can be problematic. Fact is that people now have the ability to find information in seconds or to find their long lost brothers or sisters or anything that otherwise may have taken forever or have been impossible. Databases such as Google provide a service that is awesome for society. If used properly, anything can be done with Google.
I thought this was a very interesting article. When I was younger, I was also an avid reader of books. There were many times that I enjoyed sitting down and reading more than playing video games or watching television. But as I got older, I started reading less and less, while using computers and the internet more often. In high school, I can only remember actually reading one entire book that I was assigned. And as for college, I believe I've only read two complete books so far with no skimming at all. I just simply am not able (or willing) to sit through an entire book. I become far too distracted. So I would have to agree with what the author said. Google (or computers in general) is definitely making many of us stupid, or at least stupider. We have all of the world's knowledge at our fingertips, yet so many people use the internet as their public forum to spew whatever silly opinion springs to their mind (pretty much 99% of every comment on every comment section of every website). It’s definitely is in line with what Socrates was saying: having all these knowledge so readily available to anyone gives them some idea of knowledge, yet they lack any of the experience to properly understand and use that knowledge. But, with that said, computers and the internet do have a lot of advantages that older mediums can’t compete with. Computers can make learning things and doing tasks much quicker and easier if used properly. I think that though computers do play a part in making people stupider, they aren’t the only culprit.
I am going to have to agree to the previous posts as well. This generation knows no different, we have come accustomed to the internet. I love being able to get answers at a click of the mouse. If I had to research it, I probably would never do it. In today's fast passed life I have no time to do tedious work, I need it easy and I need it now. If I had grown up in the 60's maybe I would be frightened by the new technology, but I wasn't so instead I embrace it. Do I think google is making me stupid? No, I feel that I am smarter since I know more information because I have quick access to it. Olivia
Is Google making us stupid? At first my thoughts rebelled as I began to read through the article. I’m a voracious reader! I read lots and lots of books all the time, every day. I agreed with Carr’s idea of the available research as a great benefit from the internet. But I thought I had better concentration skills until I began to think about how many more units and quarters I will need before I graduate while I was trying to pay attention to his assertions and references. I realized there was truth in what he was arguing. He notes Wolf’s claim that, “we are how we read,” and I began to agree with the current popular style of scanning to her assertion of immediacy and efficiency above all else. You can look around our world at all the cultures, traditions, food styles, life ways, religious thoughts, and worldviews and see that the “human brain is almost infinitely malleable,” is in fact quite possible, almost assured. If we couple that with our present global state and then add back history to ancient civilizations and think of all the livelihoods that have transpired; certainly this presses home the malleable human brain. The writer points us to the invention of the timepiece changing our world from listening to our senses to living by the clock, and now we have developed from living “like clockwork” to “operating like computers.” Certainly I pride myself on my expediency! This smacks much like processing my life with software based efficiency. I realized that I have even called myself a “computer brain.” My husband tells me about his sleeping dreams and I tell him his brain is just “defragging” and his dreams are just pieces of his background scan going on while he is sleeping. I have indeed been annoyed by the pop up ads and text scrawls when I’m trying to watch a show on television. It’s so distracting! It’s absolutely almost fear producing to think of artificial intelligence outweighing the importance of human thought and process. There is a scripture that declares, “Man’s greatest wisdom is but foolishness unto God.” The author quotes Socrates in his worry about man becoming writers that man would be, “filled with the conceit of wisdom instead of real wisdom.” Carr concludes the article by showing us how the computer in Space Odyssey changes places with Dave and becomes the emotional replica of humans and Dave becomes the mechanical robotic efficiency of the computer. I agree there is a great impact of Google and the Internet on our societies of today. Change will always be happening and new changes always coming. Forest Gump said, “Stupid is as stupid does.” Our wisdom will only be useful and profitable wisdom if we temper it with values that hold that all men are created equal, and that every person has the unalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
I think that google is making people more lazy, but it allows us to have much more access to information. Before the internet, it could be hard to find information regarding what someone is researching. It would be difficult to write a paper using only one source because it could not be credible. Now we are able to find multiple sources on the same topic. The information gets reinforced more than it would have before because we are reading the same thing over and over again. I do think that people are having trouble focusing. With the internet, people never have to focus on anything longer than a few seconds because there is so much being shown at a time. It is easy to change what you are looking at very rapidly. This leads to people having an even smaller attention span. The last thing I think the internet, mostly social networking, is doing to us is that it desensitizes us to bad or tragic news. We hear about it so often that it detracts from how people should be responding. People will hear about a death on Facebook and just say, "I am sorry!" and that is it. They don't even think of what really happened.
I do agree with the author in a sense that Google is making us stupid. We are not becoming less knowledgeable but our concentration and attention spans are becoming shorter. Every time I use the internet I do read lots of articles and blogs but find myself skimming through the titles and through the articles if I see that they are very long. When I was younger I used to read books all the time and would be immersed by the wonder and fantasy that the book provided. Now I cannot even read a book unless it is a summary or a quick synopsis of the book. Just Google it has become a popular saying because if you don't know something you can just Google it. The sites that I like are the ones that have blogs and links to similar articles because they are short and get to the point quickly. Google may be making us stupid but this trend may have been happening even before Google.
I do agree with the author in a sense that Google is making us stupid. We are not becoming less knowledgeable but our concentration and attention spans are becoming shorter. Every time I use the internet I do read lots of articles and blogs but find myself skimming through the titles and through the articles if I see that they are very long. When I was younger I used to read books all the time and would be immersed by the wonder and fantasy that the book provided. Now I cannot even read a book unless it is a summary or a quick synopsis of the book. Just Google it has become a popular saying because if you don't know something you can just Google it. The sites that I like are the ones that have blogs and links to similar articles because they are short and get to the point quickly. Google may be making us stupid but this trend may have been happening even before Google.
Lacey, I have to agree with you. I too have grown up in this virtual world and wouldn’t know where to start without Google. I also think you make a great point when you say that anybody can read a book or read an article on the internet, the individual chooses whether or not they will become lazy; not so much stupid. Good job in response to the article with a different stance. Stephanie Nodal
I would have to agree with many other individuals that Google has been around since I can remember. I would not be sure on where to start if Google wasn’t around because that database is what I have grown up with. I believe Google is a resource that is useful for individuals when used properly, and can be helpful is many aspects. Although I am not the type of person that loves to just sit and pick up a book to read, of course I read for school because I have to, I don’t believe that Google is making us stupid. I feel that Google has given people an excuse to become lazy when all the material and information to learn new things are right at our fingertips. I also feel that each individual makes up their own mind as to how much they rely on Google or how much they take learning new information into their own hands, such as reading a book, newspaper article, or even a magazine. I do feel that in today’s society Google has become a very dominate tool to access news and information quickly, and I don’t believe that will ever slow down. Google is here to stay! It is up to the individual on how much they rely on Google and how lazy they want to become. Stephanie Nodal
Where do you see yourself in five years? In ten years? I see myself in five years teaching elementary school children. I have always felt a strong desire to teach in order to help our children reach their full potential. I also will continue my education in order to obtain a masters degree in education. In ten years I see myself with a PhD in education and either as a counselor for our children or as a superintendent of a school district helping the district to take care of our children’s future. Jim Adams
I have to agree with Lacey Patterson and her perception Google and the internet has made our lives too easy when it comes to research and reading. Today, anyone can enter the name of a book and find a complete synopsis and answers to any questions a teacher might ask. Jim Adams
So, answer the question, is Google making us stupid? Do you agree with the author? I have to agree with the author Google is definitely making us stupid. When I was younger I would spend hours reading a book, an encyclopedia, or some other type of reading material. I think it is a sad commentary on our society, especially on parents of today, to allow our children to use the internet as their main source of information. I must give my wife credit for encouraging our children to read books and reading books to them when they were younger. My children spend a lot of time reading actual books. However, they do use the internet for research the majority of the time. I guess my wife and I are as guilty as most other parents. Jim Adams
Tysanne, I certainly agree with you when you say that if Google is used properly than anything can be done using that database. It’s a good point that you made about being able to find a lost relative, because like you said, with Google it has become easier and faster where as if Google was not around it could take longer and maybe not even be possible. Google I believe does not make us stupid; just lazy. Stephanie Nodal
I do not think Google is making us stupid, but rather making our attention span smaller. Since I have been in school, I have always had the fortune of using Google and the internet. So I don’t know what it’s like not to have the internet. Because of Google, we have unbelievable amounts of information that we can use in our daily lives. People can find anything on the internet and get information about any event past or present with a click of a mouse. This is a huge asset that I’m glad I have. The unfortunate thing about Google is it does make people’s attention spans smaller. When you can search anything and get a quick overview or summary, people tend to come-a-custom to that and do not really want to read in-depth analysis about that certain topic. This does not necessarily make the person stupid, but lets the person choose not to critically think about the idea or topic. I have to say that the individual has the means to read the article in-depth and further research the idea, but they choose to only read a summary or skim through it. That’s not Google’s fault, but rather the individual. I think the best thing about Google and the internet is it allows us to get information we need in a quick manner so we can make a decision and move forward with our lives. Like I said before, it’s up to the individual to use the information. If they feel like they only need a summary of a topic, then that’s their choice. Google and internet has nothing to do with the choice of the individual, they are the middlemen.
This article was really interesting to me, while I was reading it I was able to relate to a lot of the points the author pointed out. I catch myself using google or other Internet sources rather than picking up a book and reading that. I do not necessarily believe google is making us stupid, but rather lazy. I myself am guilty and take the easy way out and use google or other Internet sources. However, whenever I do use Internet sources I make sure to use them properly. I agree with the author that a lot of us got lazy and can not focus on long articles or books. I actually catch myself taking breaks while reading the articles for this class, and there not even that long! Which doesn't mean I'm stupid because I'm totally capable of reading the article, but I'm simply lazy and my mind wants to wander off. Overall, I don't think google makes us stupid but we rather take the easy way out and be a bit lazy. - Christina Manriquez
Stephanie, I agree with you, I believe google is a very useful tool when used correctly. And think google doesn't make us stupid, but rather lazy. -Christina Manriquez
I would have to say that like many others of you, I do not feel that Google is making us stupid. I also don't really remember the times before the Internet and search engines like google existed. However, I do remember that when I was younger I would always use the actual book forms of dictionaries, encyclopedias, thesauruses, etc. Nowadays I use the Internet for all of these thing plus more, but I feel that I still get the same information, only faster. I will admit that I too read a lot less than I used to. I am definitely a skimmer now, rather than an a detailed reader. Ironically, I even found it extremely hard not to skim over this article. In my opinion, homework assignments and other tasks are already tedious enough most times, even though we have google. I can't even begin to imagine how horrendous they would be without it. I probably wouldn't have made it through high school because I would not have put out all the effort to get all the information I needed for certain things if I didn't have a fast tool like google to help me.
I agree that Google is making us Lazy not stupid. I feel that you have to use the information you get in your own way and it’s the individual’s choice. Also, I believe Google is here to stay.
Daniel, You made some really good points that I completely agree with you on. Your point about people's response to hearing about a death on Facebook really caught my attention because, sad to say, it is very true. I never had really thought about that before....
I too believe that the internet should not be the only or main source of information we use. People need to sit down and read a book or article and really critically think about the subject matter every once in a while. It’s great that your wife is reading to your kids. I can remember some of the great stories my mom use to read to me. Good times.
I don't believe that google is making us stupid. I think that it is an amazing concept that we have the ability to access the answers to our everyday questions with a simple click. We are fortunate to live in a society where the web is readily available on our phones and PC's. Most restaurants and businesses have even made wifi access a standard for the convenience of their customers. However, I do think that it is unfortunate that the concept of buying an actual hard covered book seems pointless to many people. Books were such a large part of the learning experience while I was growing up. It makes me wonder how future generations will be learning.
I also agree with Jim and Nealson. I think it's important to use all available forms of knowledge and communication. I enjoy reading the local newspaper everyday. That is something I will not be relying on the Internet for.
I also do not think that Google is making us stupid. However as I read the article someone mentioned that their “concentration now often starts to drift after two or three pages.” I could definitely relate to what that person was saying. Although I don’t believe that the internet is causing us to get stupider, I do agree that it has caused many of us to have a decreased concentration span. I admit that I cannot sit and read long stories or books because at some point I too begin to get distracted and I begin to skim. However, I also think that the internet is a great source of information and that I probably would not be able to live without it. Because jugging school and every other responsibilities of life, I think that having sources available to us like that of Google can be very beneficial to us. Knowing how to use Google properly to get certain tasks done doesn’t mean that we are stupid.
Lacey- I also have Google as my home webpage on my computer. Since I have started college I use it a lot. I'm so used to it that I don't know what I would do without it.
Christina, I definitely agree with you. I find my self wondering off when reading easy little articles like assigned readings. I know its just I am accustomed to taking the shortcuts or using summarizations of articles; its just laziness. Google does not make people stupid. It actually can be used to increase our knowledge in things that we may not know. The truth is that people can get used to using Google as a short cut instead of researching for information the normal way which may be picking up a book and reading it. Indeed, I do agree with many good points the author Nicholas Carr makes in his article. Again, using Google rather than picking up a book is definitely the easiest thing to do but its helps us with the busy life that many people have including my life. Everyday if I’m not working my full time job, I’m going to school, and/or taking care of my family and that can take most of my time so I find myself using Google as an outlet or shortcut when I need information that I use on a daily basis whether it be for homework or looking up recipes. Also, I have noticed myself getting very distracted and taking a break when reading articles that are not even that long. Overall, Google is a very useful tool that comes in handy daily. Yes, we can be organized and make time for things but some times many of us do not have a lot of time to do what we have to do because we all have busy life. I think it’s just the world we live in now. Time is of essence.
I still agree with most of you that Google alone isn’t making us stupider. Google is a great resource for finding information quickly and efficiently. But, though it can be used for the better, I don’t think we are addressing one of the main points: thought Google helps us find quick information, we aren’t focused on deep reading and critical analysis. A common criticism of some educational systems is that they focus too much on rote memorization. We are simply taking one fact, and spewing it out later, while not focusing on how something happened or why it happened. That’s what I think Google is programming us to do more of the former and less of the latter. We will have some more knowledge by using Google, but we won’t be as concerned with the material that surrounds that knowledge, which leaves us at a disadvantage.
I disagree with what Lacey said in the first post, and that just because the world goes one way, that means that we too must follow.
I am on the same page as Lacey. I cannot recall a time without Google. Google already existed when I started to browse the web. Therefore, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference what is like to look for research at a reference library or online. However, I do seem to engage in my readings whether they are online or from a hardcover book. With that being said, I do not believe that Google makes us stupid. I believe that it makes life easier for us.
I believe that if we are trying to educate ourselves by doing research, we will educate ourselves whether we look for research or facts online or at a reference library. However, we will find the information almost instantaneously online whereas at the library, it might takes us longer. Moreover, some hardcover books, encyclopedias, and journals are available both in hardcover and as an electronic copy. As some of you have mentioned, Google can be a great resource when used properly, because it does offer reliable sources. Of course, it also offers unreliable sources, but it is up to the individual if he or she wants to educate themselves by viewing and reviewing reliable or unreliable sources.
I don't blame Google for people being lazy or stupid. I blame people for being lazy or stupid. In our culture everyone plays the victim and has to blame their problem on something. I think that's ridiculous. Spend less time on the internet and more time reading a book. I promise your reading skills will improve. The problem isn't the technology. The problem is that people don't take responsibility for anything anymore. Which I happen to think is a bigger problem than people spending all day on the internet. Personally, I think Google is awesome. I use it to look stuff up all the time. It quick and easy. So I can spend my time doing other things.
So, answer the question, is google making us stupid? Do you agree with the author?
So, here's a funny story...
As I read the article title, I was overly prepared to discuss my opinion of how Google does not make us stupid but makes knowledge so easily accessible, as a net result, we've become much smarter than the average person 10 or 20 years ago. Before beginning to read, I first skimmed all the way down the article to get an idea of how long it was, I wanted to get an estimate how much time I'd need to read it. To my dismay, it was longer than I wanted to read. As I huffed and puffed under my breathe at the thought of reading another long article, as it was last week as well, I began.
To my surprise, I walked right into this article, and proved it right.
Like the author, after a few pages of any activity online dedicated to reading I get fidgety, skim for specific subject matter, and skip what seem to be non essential words or phrases. What kept me a little more focused this time was the ease at which I was relating to the author.
I absolutely agree with the author and his idea that Google and the internet are fundamentally changing the way our brains think. I can vouch and say that I want to find the information I need, in the quickest way possible, and Google is the answer to that. Even physical books, I have since replaced with an audible.com subscription. Instead of taking the time to sit down and read them, I can now just listen to them on my iPod. It feels almost necessary with today's lifestyle to do two things at once, so, I listen to a book while I clean the house or get ready for work.
What I don't agree with? The articles title. I think a title such as "Is Google changing the way we think?" would be much more fitting. I still hold that Google isn't all that bad and it does generally make us a smarter society. As for example, in a TV show I was watching, the concept of Schrödinger's Cat was mentioned. This is a physics concept I'd heard before, but still knew too little about to really understand what was being said in the dialogue. In that moment, I popped open my laptop and Googled it to find out more. I think to myself now, what if there were no Google or Internet? How would I have found out what this concept was? Would I have had to write it down, drive down to my nearest library, and find a book? I can't even answer my own question because I don't know. Frankly, I'm glad I only had to Google it to find out what it meant, with that much work possibly involved, I can't say that I would have ever looked.
I'm glad I had Google to rescue me though, it really is an interesting concept, and in fact, I think I may name my next pet Schrödinger for my own personal amusement.
Nealson hanner, I agree with your response. Google probably makes our attention span smaller but doesn't mean it's making us stupid. Like I said in my post, when reading long articles or books our minds tend to wander off and we lose focus. I believe it's because were so use to just reading summaries like you said. I very much agree with your post. -christina manriquez Nealson hanner, I agree with your response. Google probably makes our attention span smaller but doesn't mean it's making us stupid. Like I said in my post, when reading long articles or books our minds tend to wander off and we lose focus. I believe it's because were so use to just reading summaries like you said. I very much agree with your post. -christina manriquez
Is Google making us stupid? Do you agree with the author?
Just like anything, there are good and bad elements to the internet, more specifically, Google. What drives this massive search engine is fascinating and a bit unsettling at the same time. For those who cherish their privacy, it’s a scary proposition to know that your every move is being watched, recorded, manipulated as data, and sold. As the article stated, “The faster we surf across the Web – the more links we click and pages we view – the more opportunities Google and other companies gain to collect information about us and to feed us advertisements.” And to think that Google execs would like to build a search engine that “knows exactly what you mean and give you back exactly what you want” is a bit disconcerting. It’s a pretty bold statement to tell anyone you can do this without them thinking twice about it! Google has definitely changed the way we process information and thoughts. To have immediate access to information can be a great thing – even incredible if it’s used in a positive, life changing way. But that same instant gratification can run the across the spectrum and slow us way down – not so much as to make us stupid, but to make us less smart. It is that need for instant accomplishment; the need to have information without delay; the need to be sure we aren’t missing anything; that puts us in front of our computer screens, chasing that elusive bit of knowledge that is just within our grasp. For me, this newfound, fast-paced, reality can sometimes feel like always being behind the eight ball, running towards information that will always escape you, because Google is one step ahead of you – finding information you don’t even know you want yet! I sense that the author of this article feels the same way.
Heather – Great post. I agree with you and actually skimmed the article for its length too. I must admit I was also live streaming a college soccer game on my computer and kept one eye on the computer while the other read the article – don’t we call that multi-tasking?!
It seems as if all of us do think Google has really great benefits and that there is a downside too. The general consensus, whether you were born in the Google age, or before, seems to be that Google has made us lazier and to have shorter attention spans. This may even drift over into just having a simple conversation. I've noticed in my extended family circles when we all meet up there is a lot more interrupting going on as people seem to not be able to be quiet and listen. Could it be that we're scanning even in our conversations? I think Theresa has some very good points about Google watching us while we're watching it so it can figure out what we want and give it to us. After all, it's all about money, and this scanning is an ingenious way to make it. I was rather impressed to consider those of us in our class who were born with Google. I used to be so amazed at my Grandma who was born without electricity on her Texas farm, and rode in a buckboard to go to church on Sundays with a horse pulling their family along. It's pretty amazing to just simply consider all the technological developments in the last 100 years. It seems as if our class acknowledges the impact and need for Google, but it also is not willing to give it up. Very interesting!
I don’t necessarily think Google is making us stupid, but I do think we are too dependent on it. There’s no doubt that Google and the internet has helped us stay caught up with the fast pace of life now; it has opened the doors to faster learning as well as easy access. Even though I see Google as doing us a lot of good, I agree with the author that our attention span has decreased partially due to pop-ups or because we are so used to reading short summaries or abstracts and now most people, like myself, find it a little difficult to sit through a long book or article. It’s so easy and fast to find written material through Google that our attention span is cut short because we move on to the next objective rather quickly. I feel like sometimes I don’t take the time to fully understand or make sense of something because I know I can retrieve the answer on Google very quickly. It does make life much easier by allowing us to use the knowledge of the web instead of our own at times, but is it making us stupid? No, I think it is only decreasing the dependency we have on our minds and increasing our dependence on search engines such as Google.
Lacey, I believe you make a very valuable point about google making us lazy rather than stupid. For a second I thought "technology makes us dumb!" but after reading this article I agree with you! I appreciated your point of view.
Theresa, You couldn't of said it better. We are in the need to know everything the second it happens and we want to be the first to know and that's why many of us sit in front of our computers. That is so true! This generation is on the go and expects things to happen quickly and search engines like Google are fulfilling those "needs" rather well.
Technology has evolved so much in the past years and it is at the tip of our fingertips, that it has made us too dependent on it. I do not necessarily think that it has made us stupid, but rather lazy. Like the article explains, we expect to understand information the way we acquire it, but we fail to understand that our brain is like a computer not a computer. Our brain needs time to process and store data, a computer needs seconds, if not milli seconds. In a way I believe it is sad that our generation is that way, because these are just traits that will be carried onto our future generations; who knows, perhaps this will began to affect the structure of the brain and how it functions, after that maybe we will become more "stupid". It is up to us to change this lazyness and bring some of those hard covers books out and take a bit more time to really understand what lays infront of us.
For me, I don’t remember a time when google didn’t exist. I have been brought up in this virtual world and wouldn’t know the first step to living without google. The first thing I do when opening a webpage is usually entering google and then moving on from there, it is my homepage on my home computer. Although google does make things easier, I don’t think it necessarily makes us less smart. Information is easily accessible, but I still have no problem reading a long article or getting into a good book. The web just allows people to be lazy, they can choose to sit and read a book or google it and get the fast facts. Since we live in such a fast paced world, this is the outlet most people use. This is just the world we live in and whether we want it to affect us or not, it is the way of life.
ReplyDeleteLacey Patterson
Iam agree with Lacey that we are living ew world,gogles makes our job easier.but for me google/internet is artificial intelligence.when i was in school,out teacher tought us tosolve long calculation of math and the way to do we were not using calculators even calculators were present but not allowed to use calculators and still I feel that I am very good in calculation but now adays students are dependant on calculators.last week I was taking statics class from teacher and she did notknow how to solve the sum and she searchedanswer on google by applying equation,this is not the way to teach students.now teachers are also lazy bcz they know they can access to answers.I am in medicl profession, I know we are going to google very fast and getting informtion about medicine and diagnosis very fast but we are leaving hbits of looking medical dictionaries also.I am agree that internet makes our life easy but it also makeslazy because everything is already ready on internet now students/person does not want to think and use own brains thats why I m saying google/internet is artificial brain. what will happen if internet stops to work,person feels helpless because people are dependent on internet now.Change is good,advance technology is good but do not let internet to rule over your brain.I still enjoy to read a book, lengthy artices it attaches me with writter and his thinking and topic about it is written.reading long articles gives you sense of doing something at your own, attaches you with reality.So internet is neccessary for us but not everything for us.we should use internet to enhance our memory and intelligence not to make our brain helpless without internet.........veena kumari
ReplyDeleteIn five or Ten years I can see myself married with a few children. I hope that I will be a social worker by then and helping children in bad situations. I hope that I will be settled and feel like I have made right choices. I hope that I will have traveled to Italy and Ireland before then because I have always dreamed about going there before I started a family. I also hope that my parents are still a big part of my life. I want them to still be near to me to see their grandchildren and be a part of their lives. Most of all, I can see myself happy and living life to the fullest.
ReplyDeleteLindsey McGuire
I do have to agree with the girls above me. I remember from the time I was little that technology was present though it was not as prevelant as is today. Google is the first thing people think of when they need to look something up fast. It has become the dictionary, the encyclopedia, the trivia place to go and no I do not believe it makes us less smart but I do agree with Lacey that it makes us lazy. People do have a tendency to take the first thing that comes up and a response as gospel and that can be problematic. Fact is that people now have the ability to find information in seconds or to find their long lost brothers or sisters or anything that otherwise may have taken forever or have been impossible. Databases such as Google provide a service that is awesome for society. If used properly, anything can be done with Google.
ReplyDeleteTysanne Cullum
I thought this was a very interesting article. When I was younger, I was also an avid reader of books. There were many times that I enjoyed sitting down and reading more than playing video games or watching television. But as I got older, I started reading less and less, while using computers and the internet more often. In high school, I can only remember actually reading one entire book that I was assigned. And as for college, I believe I've only read two complete books so far with no skimming at all. I just simply am not able (or willing) to sit through an entire book. I become far too distracted.
ReplyDeleteSo I would have to agree with what the author said. Google (or computers in general) is definitely making many of us stupid, or at least stupider. We have all of the world's knowledge at our fingertips, yet so many people use the internet as their public forum to spew whatever silly opinion springs to their mind (pretty much 99% of every comment on every comment section of every website). It’s definitely is in line with what Socrates was saying: having all these knowledge so readily available to anyone gives them some idea of knowledge, yet they lack any of the experience to properly understand and use that knowledge.
But, with that said, computers and the internet do have a lot of advantages that older mediums can’t compete with. Computers can make learning things and doing tasks much quicker and easier if used properly. I think that though computers do play a part in making people stupider, they aren’t the only culprit.
-Matthew Jeffries
I am going to have to agree to the previous posts as well. This generation knows no different, we have come accustomed to the internet. I love being able to get answers at a click of the mouse. If I had to research it, I probably would never do it. In today's fast passed life I have no time to do tedious work, I need it easy and I need it now. If I had grown up in the 60's maybe I would be frightened by the new technology, but I wasn't so instead I embrace it. Do I think google is making me stupid? No, I feel that I am smarter since I know more information because I have quick access to it.
ReplyDeleteOlivia
Is Google making us stupid? At first my thoughts rebelled as I began to read through the article. I’m a voracious reader! I read lots and lots of books all the time, every day. I agreed with Carr’s idea of the available research as a great benefit from the internet. But I thought I had better concentration skills until I began to think about how many more units and quarters I will need before I graduate while I was trying to pay attention to his assertions and references. I realized there was truth in what he was arguing. He notes Wolf’s claim that, “we are how we read,” and I began to agree with the current popular style of scanning to her assertion of immediacy and efficiency above all else. You can look around our world at all the cultures, traditions, food styles, life ways, religious thoughts, and worldviews and see that the “human brain is almost infinitely malleable,” is in fact quite possible, almost assured. If we couple that with our present global state and then add back history to ancient civilizations and think of all the livelihoods that have transpired; certainly this presses home the malleable human brain. The writer points us to the invention of the timepiece changing our world from listening to our senses to living by the clock, and now we have developed from living “like clockwork” to “operating like computers.” Certainly I pride myself on my expediency! This smacks much like processing my life with software based efficiency. I realized that I have even called myself a “computer brain.” My husband tells me about his sleeping dreams and I tell him his brain is just “defragging” and his dreams are just pieces of his background scan going on while he is sleeping. I have indeed been annoyed by the pop up ads and text scrawls when I’m trying to watch a show on television. It’s so distracting! It’s absolutely almost fear producing to think of artificial intelligence outweighing the importance of human thought and process. There is a scripture that declares, “Man’s greatest wisdom is but foolishness unto God.” The author quotes Socrates in his worry about man becoming writers that man would be, “filled with the conceit of wisdom instead of real wisdom.” Carr concludes the article by showing us how the computer in Space Odyssey changes places with Dave and becomes the emotional replica of humans and Dave becomes the mechanical robotic efficiency of the computer. I agree there is a great impact of Google and the Internet on our societies of today. Change will always be happening and new changes always coming. Forest Gump said, “Stupid is as stupid does.” Our wisdom will only be useful and profitable wisdom if we temper it with values that hold that all men are created equal, and that every person has the unalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
ReplyDeleteLaura Harris
I think that google is making people more lazy, but it allows us to have much more access to information. Before the internet, it could be hard to find information regarding what someone is researching. It would be difficult to write a paper using only one source because it could not be credible. Now we are able to find multiple sources on the same topic. The information gets reinforced more than it would have before because we are reading the same thing over and over again.
ReplyDeleteI do think that people are having trouble focusing. With the internet, people never have to focus on anything longer than a few seconds because there is so much being shown at a time. It is easy to change what you are looking at very rapidly. This leads to people having an even smaller attention span.
The last thing I think the internet, mostly social networking, is doing to us is that it desensitizes us to bad or tragic news. We hear about it so often that it detracts from how people should be responding. People will hear about a death on Facebook and just say, "I am sorry!" and that is it. They don't even think of what really happened.
Daniel Betancourt
I do agree with the author in a sense that Google is making us stupid. We are not becoming less knowledgeable but our concentration and attention spans are becoming shorter. Every time I use the internet I do read lots of articles and blogs but find myself skimming through the titles and through the articles if I see that they are very long. When I was younger I used to read books all the time and would be immersed by the wonder and fantasy that the book provided. Now I cannot even read a book unless it is a summary or a quick synopsis of the book. Just Google it has become a popular saying because if you don't know something you can just Google it. The sites that I like are the ones that have blogs and links to similar articles because they are short and get to the point quickly. Google may be making us stupid but this trend may have been happening even before Google.
ReplyDeleteForgot to put my name.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the author in a sense that Google is making us stupid. We are not becoming less knowledgeable but our concentration and attention spans are becoming shorter. Every time I use the internet I do read lots of articles and blogs but find myself skimming through the titles and through the articles if I see that they are very long. When I was younger I used to read books all the time and would be immersed by the wonder and fantasy that the book provided. Now I cannot even read a book unless it is a summary or a quick synopsis of the book. Just Google it has become a popular saying because if you don't know something you can just Google it. The sites that I like are the ones that have blogs and links to similar articles because they are short and get to the point quickly. Google may be making us stupid but this trend may have been happening even before Google.
Agustin Garcia
Lacey,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you. I too have grown up in this virtual world and wouldn’t know where to start without Google. I also think you make a great point when you say that anybody can read a book or read an article on the internet, the individual chooses whether or not they will become lazy; not so much stupid. Good job in response to the article with a different stance.
Stephanie Nodal
I would have to agree with many other individuals that Google has been around since I can remember. I would not be sure on where to start if Google wasn’t around because that database is what I have grown up with. I believe Google is a resource that is useful for individuals when used properly, and can be helpful is many aspects. Although I am not the type of person that loves to just sit and pick up a book to read, of course I read for school because I have to, I don’t believe that Google is making us stupid. I feel that Google has given people an excuse to become lazy when all the material and information to learn new things are right at our fingertips. I also feel that each individual makes up their own mind as to how much they rely on Google or how much they take learning new information into their own hands, such as reading a book, newspaper article, or even a magazine. I do feel that in today’s society Google has become a very dominate tool to access news and information quickly, and I don’t believe that will ever slow down. Google is here to stay! It is up to the individual on how much they rely on Google and how lazy they want to become.
ReplyDeleteStephanie Nodal
Where do you see yourself in five years? In ten years?
ReplyDeleteI see myself in five years teaching elementary school children. I have always felt a strong desire to teach in order to help our children reach their full potential. I also will continue my education in order to obtain a masters degree in education. In ten years I see myself with a PhD in education and either as a counselor for our children or as a superintendent of a school district helping the district to take care of our children’s future.
Jim Adams
I have to agree with Lacey Patterson and her perception Google and the internet has made our lives too easy when it comes to research and reading. Today, anyone can enter the name of a book and find a complete synopsis and answers to any questions a teacher might ask.
ReplyDeleteJim Adams
So, answer the question, is Google making us stupid? Do you agree with the author?
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with the author Google is definitely making us stupid. When I was younger I would spend hours reading a book, an encyclopedia, or some other type of reading material. I think it is a sad commentary on our society, especially on parents of today, to allow our children to use the internet as their main source of information. I must give my wife credit for encouraging our children to read books and reading books to them when they were younger. My children spend a lot of time reading actual books. However, they do use the internet for research the majority of the time. I guess my wife and I are as guilty as most other parents.
Jim Adams
Tysanne,
ReplyDeleteI certainly agree with you when you say that if Google is used properly than anything can be done using that database. It’s a good point that you made about being able to find a lost relative, because like you said, with Google it has become easier and faster where as if Google was not around it could take longer and maybe not even be possible. Google I believe does not make us stupid; just lazy.
Stephanie Nodal
I do not think Google is making us stupid, but rather making our attention span smaller. Since I have been in school, I have always had the fortune of using Google and the internet. So I don’t know what it’s like not to have the internet. Because of Google, we have unbelievable amounts of information that we can use in our daily lives. People can find anything on the internet and get information about any event past or present with a click of a mouse. This is a huge asset that I’m glad I have. The unfortunate thing about Google is it does make people’s attention spans smaller. When you can search anything and get a quick overview or summary, people tend to come-a-custom to that and do not really want to read in-depth analysis about that certain topic. This does not necessarily make the person stupid, but lets the person choose not to critically think about the idea or topic. I have to say that the individual has the means to read the article in-depth and further research the idea, but they choose to only read a summary or skim through it. That’s not Google’s fault, but rather the individual. I think the best thing about Google and the internet is it allows us to get information we need in a quick manner so we can make a decision and move forward with our lives. Like I said before, it’s up to the individual to use the information. If they feel like they only need a summary of a topic, then that’s their choice. Google and internet has nothing to do with the choice of the individual, they are the middlemen.
ReplyDeleteNealson Hanner
This article was really interesting to me, while I was reading it I was able to relate to a lot of the points the author pointed out. I catch myself using google or other Internet sources rather than picking up a book and reading that. I do not necessarily believe google is making us stupid, but rather lazy. I myself am guilty and take the easy way out and use google or other Internet sources. However, whenever I do use Internet sources I make sure to use them properly. I agree with the author that a lot of us got lazy and can not focus on long articles or books. I actually catch myself taking breaks while reading the articles for this class, and there not even that long! Which doesn't mean I'm stupid because I'm totally capable of reading the article, but I'm simply lazy and my mind wants to wander off. Overall, I don't think google makes us stupid but we rather take the easy way out and be a bit lazy.
ReplyDelete- Christina Manriquez
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, I believe google is a very useful tool when used correctly.
And think google doesn't make us stupid, but rather lazy.
-Christina Manriquez
I would have to say that like many others of you, I do not feel that Google is making us stupid. I also don't really remember the times before the Internet and search engines like google existed. However, I do remember that when I was younger I would always use the actual book forms of dictionaries, encyclopedias, thesauruses, etc. Nowadays I use the Internet for all of these thing plus more, but I feel that I still get the same information, only faster. I will admit that I too read a lot less than I used to. I am definitely a skimmer now, rather than an a detailed reader. Ironically, I even found it extremely hard not to skim over this article. In my opinion, homework assignments and other tasks are already tedious enough most times, even though we have google. I can't even begin to imagine how horrendous they would be without it. I probably wouldn't have made it through high school because I would not have put out all the effort to get all the information I needed for certain things if I didn't have a fast tool like google to help me.
ReplyDeleteAshley Cockrell
Stephanie Nodal
ReplyDeleteI agree that Google is making us Lazy not stupid. I feel that you have to use the information you get in your own way and it’s the individual’s choice. Also, I believe Google is here to stay.
Nealson Hanner
Daniel,
ReplyDeleteYou made some really good points that I completely agree with you on. Your point about people's response to hearing about a death on Facebook really caught my attention because, sad to say, it is very true. I never had really thought about that before....
Ashley Cockrell
Jim Adams
ReplyDeleteI too believe that the internet should not be the only or main source of information we use. People need to sit down and read a book or article and really critically think about the subject matter every once in a while. It’s great that your wife is reading to your kids. I can remember some of the great stories my mom use to read to me. Good times.
Nealson Hanner
I don't believe that google is making us stupid. I think that it is an amazing concept that we have the ability to access the answers to our everyday questions with a simple click. We are fortunate to live in a society where the web is readily available on our phones and PC's. Most restaurants and businesses have even made wifi access a standard for the convenience of their customers. However, I do think that it is unfortunate that the concept of buying an actual hard covered book seems pointless to many people. Books were such a large part of the learning experience while I was growing up. It makes me wonder how future generations will be learning.
ReplyDeleteRoss Hoffmann
I also agree with Jim and Nealson. I think it's important to use all available forms of knowledge and communication. I enjoy reading the local newspaper everyday. That is something I will not be relying on the Internet for.
ReplyDeleteRoss Hoffmann
I also do not think that Google is making us stupid. However as I read the article someone mentioned that their “concentration now often starts to drift after two or three pages.” I could definitely relate to what that person was saying. Although I don’t believe that the internet is causing us to get stupider, I do agree that it has caused many of us to have a decreased concentration span. I admit that I cannot sit and read long stories or books because at some point I too begin to get distracted and I begin to skim. However, I also think that the internet is a great source of information and that I probably would not be able to live without it. Because jugging school and every other responsibilities of life, I think that having sources available to us like that of Google can be very beneficial to us. Knowing how to use Google properly to get certain tasks done doesn’t mean that we are stupid.
ReplyDeleteBrenda Castro
Lacey-
ReplyDeleteI also have Google as my home webpage on my computer. Since I have started college I use it a lot. I'm so used to it that I don't know what I would do without it.
Brenda Castro
Christina,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you. I find my self wondering off when reading easy little articles like assigned readings. I know its just I am accustomed to taking the shortcuts or using summarizations of articles; its just laziness.
Google does not make people stupid. It actually can be used to increase our knowledge in things that we may not know. The truth is that people can get used to using Google as a short cut instead of researching for information the normal way which may be picking up a book and reading it. Indeed, I do agree with many good points the author Nicholas Carr makes in his article. Again, using Google rather than picking up a book is definitely the easiest thing to do but its helps us with the busy life that many people have including my life. Everyday if I’m not working my full time job, I’m going to school, and/or taking care of my family and that can take most of my time so I find myself using Google as an outlet or shortcut when I need information that I use on a daily basis whether it be for homework or looking up recipes. Also, I have noticed myself getting very distracted and taking a break when reading articles that are not even that long. Overall, Google is a very useful tool that comes in handy daily. Yes, we can be organized and make time for things but some times many of us do not have a lot of time to do what we have to do because we all have busy life. I think it’s just the world we live in now. Time is of essence.
Helen Rosario
I still agree with most of you that Google alone isn’t making us stupider. Google is a great resource for finding information quickly and efficiently. But, though it can be used for the better, I don’t think we are addressing one of the main points: thought Google helps us find quick information, we aren’t focused on deep reading and critical analysis. A common criticism of some educational systems is that they focus too much on rote memorization. We are simply taking one fact, and spewing it out later, while not focusing on how something happened or why it happened. That’s what I think Google is programming us to do more of the former and less of the latter. We will have some more knowledge by using Google, but we won’t be as concerned with the material that surrounds that knowledge, which leaves us at a disadvantage.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with what Lacey said in the first post, and that just because the world goes one way, that means that we too must follow.
-Matthew Jeffries
I am on the same page as Lacey. I cannot recall a time without Google. Google already existed when I started to browse the web. Therefore, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference what is like to look for research at a reference library or online. However, I do seem to engage in my readings whether they are online or from a hardcover book. With that being said, I do not believe that Google makes us stupid. I believe that it makes life easier for us.
ReplyDeleteI believe that if we are trying to educate ourselves by doing research, we will educate ourselves whether we look for research or facts online or at a reference library. However, we will find the information almost instantaneously online whereas at the library, it might takes us longer. Moreover, some hardcover books, encyclopedias, and journals are available both in hardcover and as an electronic copy. As some of you have mentioned, Google can be a great resource when used properly, because it does offer reliable sources. Of course, it also offers unreliable sources, but it is up to the individual if he or she wants to educate themselves by viewing and reviewing reliable or unreliable sources.
-Dacia Zamora
I don't blame Google for people being lazy or stupid. I blame people for being lazy or stupid. In our culture everyone plays the victim and has to blame their problem on something. I think that's ridiculous. Spend less time on the internet and more time reading a book. I promise your reading skills will improve. The problem isn't the technology. The problem is that people don't take responsibility for anything anymore. Which I happen to think is a bigger problem than people spending all day on the internet. Personally, I think Google is awesome. I use it to look stuff up all the time. It quick and easy. So I can spend my time doing other things.
ReplyDelete-Kyle Bennett
So, answer the question, is google making us stupid? Do you agree with the author?
ReplyDeleteSo, here's a funny story...
As I read the article title, I was overly prepared to discuss my opinion of how Google does not make us stupid but makes knowledge so easily accessible, as a net result, we've become much smarter than the average person 10 or 20 years ago. Before beginning to read, I first skimmed all the way down the article to get an idea of how long it was, I wanted to get an estimate how much time I'd need to read it. To my dismay, it was longer than I wanted to read. As I huffed and puffed under my breathe at the thought of reading another long article, as it was last week as well, I began.
To my surprise, I walked right into this article, and proved it right.
Like the author, after a few pages of any activity online dedicated to reading I get fidgety, skim for specific subject matter, and skip what seem to be non essential words or phrases. What kept me a little more focused this time was the ease at which I was relating to the author.
I absolutely agree with the author and his idea that Google and the internet are fundamentally changing the way our brains think. I can vouch and say that I want to find the information I need, in the quickest way possible, and Google is the answer to that. Even physical books, I have since replaced with an audible.com subscription. Instead of taking the time to sit down and read them, I can now just listen to them on my iPod. It feels almost necessary with today's lifestyle to do two things at once, so, I listen to a book while I clean the house or get ready for work.
What I don't agree with? The articles title. I think a title such as "Is Google changing the way we think?" would be much more fitting. I still hold that Google isn't all that bad and it does generally make us a smarter society. As for example, in a TV show I was watching, the concept of Schrödinger's Cat was mentioned. This is a physics concept I'd heard before, but still knew too little about to really understand what was being said in the dialogue. In that moment, I popped open my laptop and Googled it to find out more. I think to myself now, what if there were no Google or Internet? How would I have found out what this concept was? Would I have had to write it down, drive down to my nearest library, and find a book? I can't even answer my own question because I don't know. Frankly, I'm glad I only had to Google it to find out what it meant, with that much work possibly involved, I can't say that I would have ever looked.
I'm glad I had Google to rescue me though, it really is an interesting concept, and in fact, I think I may name my next pet Schrödinger for my own personal amusement.
You should Google it.
Nealson hanner,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your response. Google probably makes our attention span smaller but doesn't mean it's making us stupid. Like I said in my post, when reading long articles or books our minds tend to wander off and we lose focus. I believe it's because were so use to just reading summaries like you said. I very much agree with your post.
-christina manriquez Nealson hanner,
I agree with your response. Google probably makes our attention span smaller but doesn't mean it's making us stupid. Like I said in my post, when reading long articles or books our minds tend to wander off and we lose focus. I believe it's because were so use to just reading summaries like you said. I very much agree with your post.
-christina manriquez
Sorry I don't I guess I copied and pasted mine twice in the last post , I'm doing it through my phone so is a bit weird.
ReplyDelete-Christina manriquez
Is Google making us stupid? Do you agree with the author?
ReplyDeleteJust like anything, there are good and bad elements to the internet, more specifically, Google. What drives this massive search engine is fascinating and a bit unsettling at the same time. For those who cherish their privacy, it’s a scary proposition to know that your every move is being watched, recorded, manipulated as data, and sold. As the article stated, “The faster we surf across the Web – the more links we click and pages we view – the more opportunities Google and other companies gain to collect information about us and to feed us advertisements.” And to think that Google execs would like to build a search engine that “knows exactly what you mean and give you back exactly what you want” is a bit disconcerting. It’s a pretty bold statement to tell anyone you can do this without them thinking twice about it!
Google has definitely changed the way we process information and thoughts. To have immediate access to information can be a great thing – even incredible if it’s used in a positive, life changing way. But that same instant gratification can run the across the spectrum and slow us way down – not so much as to make us stupid, but to make us less smart.
It is that need for instant accomplishment; the need to have information without delay; the need to be sure we aren’t missing anything; that puts us in front of our computer screens, chasing that elusive bit of knowledge that is just within our grasp. For me, this newfound, fast-paced, reality can sometimes feel like always being behind the eight ball, running towards information that will always escape you, because Google is one step ahead of you – finding information you don’t even know you want yet! I sense that the author of this article feels the same way.
Theresa F.
Heather – Great post. I agree with you and actually skimmed the article for its length too. I must admit I was also live streaming a college soccer game on my computer and kept one eye on the computer while the other read the article – don’t we call that multi-tasking?!
ReplyDeleteTheresa F.
It seems as if all of us do think Google has really great benefits and that there is a downside too. The general consensus, whether you were born in the Google age, or before, seems to be that Google has made us lazier and to have shorter attention spans. This may even drift over into just having a simple conversation. I've noticed in my extended family circles when we all meet up there is a lot more interrupting going on as people seem to not be able to be quiet and listen. Could it be that we're scanning even in our conversations? I think Theresa has some very good points about Google watching us while we're watching it so it can figure out what we want and give it to us. After all, it's all about money, and this scanning is an ingenious way to make it. I was rather impressed to consider those of us in our class who were born with Google. I used to be so amazed at my Grandma who was born without electricity on her Texas farm, and rode in a buckboard to go to church on Sundays with a horse pulling their family along. It's pretty amazing to just simply consider all the technological developments in the last 100 years. It seems as if our class acknowledges the impact and need for Google, but it also is not willing to give it up. Very interesting!
ReplyDeleteWhoops! That comment above was posted by
ReplyDeleteLaura Harris.
I don’t necessarily think Google is making us stupid, but I do think we are too dependent on it. There’s no doubt that Google and the internet has helped us stay caught up with the fast pace of life now; it has opened the doors to faster learning as well as easy access. Even though I see Google as doing us a lot of good, I agree with the author that our attention span has decreased partially due to pop-ups or because we are so used to reading short summaries or abstracts and now most people, like myself, find it a little difficult to sit through a long book or article. It’s so easy and fast to find written material through Google that our attention span is cut short because we move on to the next objective rather quickly. I feel like sometimes I don’t take the time to fully understand or make sense of something because I know I can retrieve the answer on Google very quickly. It does make life much easier by allowing us to use the knowledge of the web instead of our own at times, but is it making us stupid? No, I think it is only decreasing the dependency we have on our minds and increasing our dependence on search engines such as Google.
ReplyDelete-Liz Sanchez
Lacey,
ReplyDeleteI believe you make a very valuable point about google making us lazy rather than stupid. For a second I thought "technology makes us dumb!" but after reading this article I agree with you! I appreciated your point of view.
Ana Garcia
Theresa,
ReplyDeleteYou couldn't of said it better. We are in the need to know everything the second it happens and we want to be the first to know and that's why many of us sit in front of our computers. That is so true! This generation is on the go and expects things to happen quickly and search engines like Google are fulfilling those "needs" rather well.
-Liz Sanchez
Technology has evolved so much in the past years and it is at the tip of our fingertips, that it has made us too dependent on it. I do not necessarily think that it has made us stupid, but rather lazy. Like the article explains, we expect to understand information the way we acquire it, but we fail to understand that our brain is like a computer not a computer. Our brain needs time to process and store data, a computer needs seconds, if not milli seconds. In a way I believe it is sad that our generation is that way, because these are just traits that will be carried onto our future generations; who knows, perhaps this will began to affect the structure of the brain and how it functions, after that maybe we will become more "stupid". It is up to us to change this lazyness and bring some of those hard covers books out and take a bit more time to really understand what lays infront of us.
ReplyDeleteAna Garcia