PLN #3 "Is Google Making Us Stupid?"

Tyler Aikens
September 12, 2012
PLN #3

“Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Summary

“Is Google Making Us Stupid?”, an article Nicholas Carr portrays just how much Google changes the way we think, read, and do things in general. As the article begins, Nicholas tells us how he feels uncomfortable, and that he senses that someone or something is tampering with his brain and been reprogramming it. For the last decade or so, he has been reading many online articles. Short, online articles. Mr. Carr says that these condensed articles have been altering the way we think about things, and are sparking are interest in a shorter amount of text causing us to become bored with reading more lengthy texts. Also, instead of spending hours at the library looking up needed information, we can type a few words and get answers to our questions within seconds. This proves to be less of a stimulating activity, proving that Google could quite possibly be making us stupid. At the conclusion of the article, we get a taste of Richard Foreman’s thoughts of Google. He explains that Google is actually draining us of our character, and opening us up to the technology of “instantly available.” In conclusion, Google may in fact change the way we think, read, and do things in general.

“Is Google Making Us Stupid?”, a controversial article Nicholas Carr, identifies the good and the bad effects of Google. Most of us now just how easy and convenient Google is for use in our everyday lives, but most of us do not know the side effects of this revolutionary system. Nicholas Carr says that Google is reprogramming the way that we read and act. Being a teenager, I read a plethora of condensed articles and blogs. The article says that doing this shortens our attention span and causes us to lose interest of ongoing books and such much faster than ever before. After taking note of that statement, I believe it and feel the exact same way that he does. Richard Foreman also states that Google is draining our character, and I do not agree with that statement. When I am using the system, one simple search sparks my curiosity further than at any other point, and I am engulfed in the world around me. Based on these statements, bonded by my opinions, I conclude that Google is a needed, world changing system that has done effectively more good than bad.