This chapter from The Shallows grabbed my attention when it talked about how our use of the Internet can literally shape our brain functions both positively and negatively. I know my attention span is very short when I'm online (or too long if I'm on Buzzfeed or The Oatmeal) and I can get fatigued when I'm reading through a long article or some other site because I'm constantly thinking about what's on the screen. I'd be interested to know what my reading comprehension score would be after years of Internet use versus when I was a kid and if it has decreased.
I was also interested in the thought that teenagers are afraid of being disconnected, maybe more than they were when I was one. I had the luxury of having an Apple iBook 8th grade through high school in all of my classes, which allowed me to take notes on my computer, type assignments up quickly, surf the web... and be signed on to iChat/AIM constantly, all day, every day, until they found a way to block it (which I quickly found a way around). What this meant was whenever my computer was open, I was sending messages over the Internet to my classmates, family, or friends. I remember feeling like I needed to be in constant contact, even when it meant getting a detention once or twice because I got caught. I didn't think anything negative of it. Now, when I look at my 15 year old cousin who is never more than two feet from her cell phone, I can't help but consider that it's the same thing as my AIM addiction, just grown up. I might criticize her for not being able to put her phone down during dinner, SnapChat can wait, but it's the same as me being logged on during class: I should have been more present than I was. I think the main point I'll take away from this reading is that there is value in being able to focus on one given task at a time and be present in the moment, rather than constantly checking to see the next update.
Lauren, it was interesting to hear about your experience in school with technology. I’m interested to hear about whether or not your experience aligns with what Carr is developing as a consistent theme, that the Internet promotes superficial rather than deep thinking. Do you think your experience with this technology led to rich, deep thinking? If so, what are the problems with Carr’s argument? I wonder if his argument is limited to our purposes for using technology. For instance, when I use the Internet for social purposes, my thinking may be more shallow than when I use the Internet for academic or professional tasks. However, Carr does not seem to make this distinction; he presents all multitasking as a cognitive burden that limits us to shallow thinking. What do you think based upon your experience?
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