My first Source is a book written
by Nicholas Carr called The Dumbest Generation: How the digital Age stupefies
Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future. The book starts off by explaining the way
the brain works. It is stated that our brains record and adapt to new
experiences both negative and positive. He goes on to say that the internet is changing
the way we think and the way we process information. According to Carr the
internet is weakening the traditional tools that we use. Also technology is
changing how we use memory, emotion, and intelligence. I chose to use this
source because I think it is a good way to contrast my own beliefs on this
topic. It seems to me that by including opposing views I will be able to look
at all the sides of an argument and thus better round my argument. Carr also
explains that the more we get use to technology the more accustomed we become
to it and its bad habits. For example how texting has ruined the English
Language for young Americans who no longer know how to spell.
My second source is an Article by
Lisa Miller in The Washington Post titled: The religious authorities and
pundits are wrong: Technology is good for religion. In the article Miller talks
about a point in which I hadn’t considered and that is the religious side. She
explains that contrary to many religious people beliefs; technology actually
compliments religion. She says that we can us apps to get closer to our
respective religions. By using these apps it helps people who might not be able
to attend services like mass or church. Religious leaders believe that physical
contact is best when talking about religion. Miller counters this argument by
saying that technology gives us an opportunity to progress our religious beliefs
and therefore cannot be condemned. The Reason I chose to include this source is
because not only does the author go along with my belief that technology helps
us more than it hurts; it also gives a unique view on a highly debatable topic.
I had never thought about how technology affects religion. This allows me to
open my mind and look at other areas that are affected by technology
Carr, Nicholas. The Dumbest Generation:
How The Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes our Future. New
York. Penguin, 2008. Print
Miller, Lisa. The Religious
Authorities and Pundits are Wrong. Washington Post June 1 2012. Digital.
I think that fundamentally, I agree with you that technology is not making us less intelligent. Your first source states that technology is "changing" the way that people think, not making it better or worse. Assuming that these are the author's words, it would seem as though she's conceding that it's not the latter. I really just can't imagine how having billions of pages of information at your fingertips constitutes society getting "dumber." I think that at most, it means that we spend less time digging through books or saying "meh" when we want to know something, but it's too inconvenient to go out and find it out. Also, I think that if texting decides your mastery of the English language, you have many, many more problems than not knowing the difference between "its" and "it's."
ReplyDeleteAs for the religion thing, it's also something that I hadn't thought of in this context. I suppose that it's generally most associated with changing things like science and language, but I can see how it's a useful tool to spread religious ideas.
I absolutely side with you on technology helping more than it hurts, I think being enrolled in this course is a statement of that. Where mothers who chose to stay at home were also making the choice to put off college, we are now able to do both. That wouldn't be possible without technology. Another thing to look at is the fact that video games do help kids with problem solving and hand eye coordination. I'm not saying your kid should be plopped in front of the TV for 12 hours a day, I'm just saying it has it's benefits, just like riding a bike and going for a walk do.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing you might want to look at in your research is handwriting skills. This would likely be on the opposite side of the arguments. Pretty much everything in schools now needs to be typed and printed out, or even emailed to the teachers. Where did the cursive go? In the elementary school that my girls go to, it's introduced in third grade, followed up on in fourth grade, and entirely ignored in fifth grade. Are electronic signatures supposed to be the wave of the future? Yes, they're convenient, but I'm not sure that's a skill our kids shouldn't be taught. Just a suggestion on the further impact of technology! Good luck!
Technology does benefit greatly in our society. I agree that it does good with not only people but religions as well. I feel that the sources you have provided will give you ample evidence in your essay.
ReplyDeleteSomething I would consider is how technology such as video games and games on the computer could be a disadvantage for children. We all know that computers are the main source of communication and information now, but children are subjects to technology day after day and it's not always just for homework. Could children who get involved with video games and computer games become, not so much uneducated, but uninterested in doing work or education?
The brain is like a sponge, but the minute you stop using it, it starts to lose that information. I agree with the comment about kids and texting. I know many 18-25 year old people and they know more shorthand text (LOL) words than how to spell the English language. I do wonder where they will go in life and how successful they will be. On the other hand, those same kids know more about technology than I do. For instance, I needed to use photoshop for a picture and I asked one of my friends for help and they made the picture as if it looked like a painting. There are good arguments on both side of this debate.
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