Does the internet make you smarter or dumber? There is a complex debate over the internet and whether it is making society smarter or dumber for that matter. The debate focuses on the internet and the intellectuality of individuals and if the internet hinders or is progressing society as a whole. Some critics argue that the internet contributes to the decline of our mental state. On the other hand, others argue the internet promotes and encourages literacy.
From world news to cooking recipes, there are no limitations. But with all that freedom lies a very large question, how is the Internet changing the way we think? There is an ongoing debate going on with the Internet, I often sit back and think to myself, what effects the Internet has on us? We will look at two authors, Nicholas Carr and Clay Shirky. As well as two of their articles, Carr’s “Does the Internet make you Dumber” and Clay Shirky’s “Does the Internet make you Smarter?
Hooking Up On the Internet Analysis I. RESEARCH QUESTION The authors in this study were trying to look at why people chose to date online. They were also looking at what aspects of face to face relations are reproduced and what rationales and strategies Internet daters use to negotiate and manage problems of risk accompanying the new technology and phenomenon. The authors examined concerns over the risk of being deceived, if they had any anxieties about physical appearance and the hazards of romantic involvement. II.
In Watching TV makes you Smarter Steven Johnson uses the hit TV show “24” to support his thesis stating that TV makes you smarter. He thinks that to keep up with an intense TV show like “24” you have to “pay attention, make inferences, track-shifting social relationships” (279). Johnson disagrees with the popular notion on that the “sleeper curve” is the single most important new force altering mental development of young people today. Steven Johnson takes a roll of teaching journalism at New York University and serves as a contributing editor for Wired. He also writes a monthly column for Discover.
29 September 2009 Market Psychology: How Desires Play a Role New products are unveiled to us, as a society, at an almost overwhelming rate. When we are watching television, searching the internet, or scouring through a favorite magazine, the chance that we will be exposed to an advertisement in some way, shape, or form, is practically a given. In the video Slim Hopes, Jean Kilbourne delivers a well-documented critical perspective on the impact of advertising and the persuasive ways marketing companies use to influence society (Kilbourne). Generally, people do not linger on advertisements, so when dealing with a print advertisement, the impact it needs to make on a person has to be quick and strong. The product needs to be desirable.
Alicia Zapata English 126 October 31, 2012 In the essay, “Are Social Networks Messing with Your Head?,” David DiSalvo convinces his readers that, “as social networks proliferate, they are changing the way people think about the Internet, from a tool used in solitary anonymity to a medium that touches on questions about human nature and identity; who we are, how we feel about ourselves, and how we act toward one another” (501). He bases his argument on multiple psychological research which indicates social networking sites do not cause loneliness, rather it makes those who were lonely prior to social networking lonelier, and for those who are not lonely, social networking sites actually help them continue their online relationships offline, which isn’t a bad thing in that case. It has also been researched that social networking is a self-esteem booster, and is even paving the way for those with narcissist personalities, however, just as it can be a self-esteem booster, social networking has the ability to bring down self-esteem just as fast. DiSalvo also talks about how we are obsessively going online, spending unhealthy amounts of time on social network websites to the point where it starts to become debilitating. The essay concludes with the idea that there is a transformational current going on, and social media is not only changing the way we interact with one another, but it is also affecting our brains, having a psychological effect on us.
Rhetorical Precis: Virality Uber Alles: What the Fetishization of Social Media Is Costing Us All Arianna Huffington’s March 8, 2012 article, “Virality Uber Alles: What the Fetishization of Social Media is Costing Us All” asserts the dependence on social networking has led to a society more focused on the networking rather than the news. Through the dominant usage of ethos and a specific tone and diction throughout her work, Huffington supports her assertion by exemplifying the negative effects of a social network reliant society through testimonials and statistics. The author’s purpose is to convince the reader that social media’s role in society is one that should not be dominant in order to notify people of the shift in the variances of news today. The author writes in a more informal tone, with strong selection of diction for those who are knowledgeable and capable of coming across of the specific type of media. Huffiington’s article was one that successfully executed the ideas and convince her audience to agree on her stance due to the content within her supporting details.
I wanted to be connected” (Carr 16). The way that technology has changed and developed the internet has made Carr want to stress the fact that although technology is very useful, it can be very harmful to peoples’ brain in a way that it affects a person’s deeper level of thinking. Section II:The Author’s Background Nicholas Carr is a columnist, member of the Encyclopedia Britannica's editorial board of advisors, as well as an executive editor. Carr writes about technology, culture, and economics which have made his books New York Times Bestsellers in addition to being a 2011 Pulitzer Prize nominee. Aside from The Shallows, Carr has written two other influential books called The Big Switch: Rewiring the World, from Edison to Google and Does IT Matter?
There are many famous people including Bauerlein himself were having an argument with another group of people on whether digital culture is an advantage or not. He backs up his opinion by saying “Together they form an imposing countervailing force, an alliance to slow the headlong rush to technologies learning, reading, writing, and intellectual life.” Bauerlein believes digital culture had cut of young adults’ understanding on literature and history because at this time, young adults would prefer to find answers on the Internet; therefore, reading also becomes a problem. Even though teenagers are willing to adapt the new learning style is an advantage for them; however, they should not abandon the old way of studying. Bauerlein said “If it doesn't happen in high school, in college and in home at this time, it probably never will.” Young adults should be aware of how to study when there aren’t any digital culture provided, on the other
Are your Facebook friends more interesting than those you have in real life? Has high-speed Internet made you impatient with slow-speed children? Do you sometimes think about reaching for the fast-forward button, only to realize that life does not come with a remote control? If you answered yes to any of those questions, exposure to technology may be slowly reshaping your personality. Some experts believe excessive use of the Internet, cellphones and other technologies can cause us to become more impatient, impulsive, forgetful and even more narcissistic.