Is Google Making Us Stupid? by Nicholas Carr

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In his article "Is Google Making Us Stupid?", Nicholas Carr explores the implications of our increasingly digital world on our cognitive abilities. He argues that our reliance on the internet for information and stimulation has hurt our capacity for deep, focused thought leading to a decreased ability to think analytically and critically (Carr). He also argues that the internet's constant bombardment of information, entertainment, and communication leads to a loss of the ability to think independently and reflect deeply. Carr cites numerous studies and personal anecdotes to illustrate his point. He warns of the dangers of a society that is content to passively consume information instead of engaging in active, critical thought.
Carr begins his article by recounting a conversation he had with a friend in which he noticed that he was having difficulty reading long-form essays and books. His friend similarly shared the same sentiments, citing the internet as the cause of their lack of focus and concentration. From this conversation, Carr begins to explore what the internet has done to our brains, looking at the neurological and psychological impacts of the internet. He suggests that the internet has caused us to become more accustomed to "skimming" information instead of taking the time to read and process it in depth (Carr).
To further support his argument, Carr then dives into the psychology of the internet, noting that it has changed how we think and remember information. He cites studies that suggest that the internet has caused our brains to become "wired" for "scattered" and "intermittent" learning, leading to a decrease in our ability to stay focused on one task or idea for an extended period (Carr). Furthermore, Carr argues that the internet has made us more reliant on external sources of information, leading to a decrease in our ability to think critically and independently.
Carr cites a study conducted by the University of California that found that subjects who were asked to read a book on a computer screen were more likely to skim and exhibit no deeper understanding of the material than those who read a printed version. He also notes that he has experienced a decrease in his ability to concentrate and focus on a single task, attributing it to the ever-present distraction of the internet (Carr). Carr concludes that our brains are adapting to how we use the internet, and this adaptation is detrimental to our cognitive abilities.
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