Review Of Nicholas Carr’s ‘Is Google Making Us Stupid’

Nicholas Carr wrote the article “Is Google making us stupid” and it was published in July/August 2008. Carr proclaims that the internet is making people stupid. He then reveals the many changes in our attention span and thinking through the use of web. His arguments are supported by research from other universities and groups. This suggests that we may be experiencing a paradigm shift in our thinking. Is google making people stupid, like Nicholas Carr suggested? I say no. Humans don’t change, but eras do.

Carr starts the essay by saying that he has had difficulty concentrating on long texts. He used to be able to read them effortlessly. The Internet can make it harder to focus and reflect on the content, he suggests. He offers some anecdotes from bloggers who describe the changes in their writing and reading habits over time. He also discusses a University College London 2008 research on the future of reading. He is particularly fond of Maryanne Wolf’s writing behavior research. She has theories about how technology and the media influence reading. Although he admits that there isn’t much evidence to support this theory, he points to Wolf’s Proust and the Squid to explain how the brain adapts to environmental changes to be literate in new areas. He views the internet as another type of environment where we will only be able to adapt. He is concerned that the internet will make computers more human-like. The computer will be a simple, automated device. You can use twitter, email, or Twitter to communicate 36 times simultaneously and not have to pay attention to any one. Carr noted that one of the worst effects of information overload is our inability to focus on a single area. This will lead to anxiety and a half-knowledge reader. His brain is being controlled, he said. While reading, our thinking style is very different. After reading two pages, attention can drift to other things and it becomes difficult to focus on the next page. It is possible that the brain circuit nerve is being controlled by the network, he believes. He discusses the possibility of concentration being impaired by internet use and points to Nietzsche’s example. Nietzsche was a pioneer in using a typewriter back when it was first introduced in the 1880s. Nietzsche’s style of writing changed, according to one theory. Carr describes this as a demonstration of neuroplasticity. This scientific theory states that neural circuits are in constant and changing state. He refers to Daniel Bell’s theory that technologies enhance human cognition. This is because humans are unable to consciously conform or recognize the qualities of these patterns. As an example, he uses the clock to show how technology has both regulated and improved human behavior and perception. It seems like google is asking us to make negative analyses, which leads us to believe the information he has given. What is most important is the authority that informs us of what we find on websites. Perhaps our critical thinking is not so good and we aren’t able to tell the difference between true and fake. This was possible because we could read books in libraries. The internet can make it happen for us. The internet is able to outsource our memory and even our identities. Carr refers to the internet as a drug. It is available for a limited time, and it can be purchased at a very low price. Similar to chemical narcotics. This stimulates the brain to produce a sharp shock that causes our unconscious and conscious thinking to be shortened and allows us to think more creatively. James, George Mason’s neurologist, stated that drosophila could re-build its mind and change its functioning. Google is changing the brain’s functioning in the same way that drosophila can. Carr uses strong arguments to argue that the internet has made us lazy. It all depends on who you are. Our first ECE class teaches us how Google searches work. I am a computer science major. Because the internet feels like an extension and part of my body, it’s also a subconscious thought. I don’t like to think about a program problem when I’m faced with it. Instead, I’m too lazy to do research and prefer to use the internet, such as ‘Stack Overflow’. I can simply type the program requirements and click to see the previous masterpieces. A website called “Grammarly” does the grammar checking for me after I have finished my English writing. In the short-term, this new way of thinking is easier and quicker. This phenomenon does not promote innovation or learning a culture. In some ways, Google makes me lazy. I also agree that the internet distracts from our attention. Carr said that people lose their patience for reading long articles. In fact, I find fragmented reading more appealing than reading long articles. Reading fragmented can have negative impacts on rational and logical thinking. Fragmentation reading comes with a brow. Since the beginning, there has been an answer to both pros and cons. Contrary to the traditional view, while most books focus on one aspect and provide a background, it is possible to learn more about the history, which can aid in understanding the topic better. So, does that mean the internet is stupid? It doesn’t seem so to me. This question has a full answer. I understand that Carr was concerned about an old saying, “Things develop in the reverse direction when they become extremely.” Google is too full of information and convenience. True, we may lose some but the benefit of Google is greater than losing it. In almost all cases, the internet remains an important information channel. It provides quick access to news and information from all corners of the globe. Socrates was concerned about the ancient technology of information. He believes that reading will replace memory and make us less smart. Similar arguments are also available since the creation of media and printing. This argument will apply to all writing and books. This may lead to brain decline. Over the last 50 years, our intelligence has increased dramatically. Many people believe that we are more intelligent than ever before. This is not due to education or food. It doesn’t necessarily mean we are more intelligent than our ancestors. We are just different. Google’s ability to make use of multiple resources is a huge contribution. The internet’s continuous growth and use of big data has led to increased integration of resources. I believe that humans are changing their thinking and moving with the times. The virtual world can bring about changes in our lifestyles but it should also change how we think. The network technology influences the human mind mode. It reflects creativity, innovation, and virtuosity. This improves cognitive process as well as practice. Internet speeds up the delivery of news and information. The internet has made it possible for people to have a wider range of cognitive abilities. Paul Bloom, Yale University’s psychologist, believes the internet can help people be smarter and more compassionate. He also believes it can evoke the feeling of face-to–face communication. The internet can also make information more accessible and democratized, allowing groups to compete with each other. It’s not that people aren’t being stupid. We are now living in the network era. I do agree that the internet has altered our thinking and made us lazy and distracted. People have become more dependent on the internet and are used to reading in fragmented ways. We need to try to limit our dependence on the internet and not overuse it.