1) Is Google Making Us Stupid
2) Why Google Isn`t Making Us Stupid... Or Smart
Read the articles using the links above. In 150 words, address the dichotomy between the two.
Once you've posted your own response, read the others in the class, then post a 50 word addendum as a response to your own, addressing something you hadn't considered in your first post.
Carr has a different angle of thinking towards technology than Wellmon. He believes that google affects people negatively as it is decreasing the use of books and physical research which results in us not being able to summarize information from large articles. He also believes it changes the way you think and can lower concentration which would otherwise be needed the entire time you were reading a book or doing research. On the other hand, Wellmon believes that google isn't making us stupid or smarter but it depends on how we use it. There is a massive amount of information on google compared to reading so many books and articles. We can access tons of info with just a few searches but that doesn't necessarily make us stupid or smart. I would agree with Wellmon because google is something that we can use regularly to find accurate info quickly. It summarizes all the textbook reading, books and articles for easy access. Google is also a major part of most people's lives today.
ReplyDeleteAfter interpreting my peers responses, it has come to my attention that even though welmon may be agreed on more, Carr has some truth to his belief. People are becoming sluggish at thinking and “intellectually lazy,” myself included. Over the past years, I have noticed that I can’t concentrate as well as I use to, therefor I agree with Carr.
DeleteCarr makes the argument that the Internet is altering our mental habits, primarily by making us lose our ability to be able to understand long works of prose. He also claims that we pay the price for every technological advancement we make.A historic example that is given is the invention of the clock and how it’s invention lead to the “dissociation of time from human events”. Wellmon makes the argument that the Internet is not making us smart or stupid, it depends on the way we use it. He supports his argument by mentioning historical technologies such as the printing press, which skyrocketed literacy rates across Renaissance Europe. I support Wellmon's argument because the Internet is a tool and it is up to the user whether they use it to benefit themselves or not.
ReplyDeleteHowever Carr also makes a valid claim that the Internet can distract us with "hyperlinks,blinking ads and other digital gewgaws" which could lead us into a digital rabbit hole, making us spend more time on the Internet than we originally intended.
DeleteCarr and Wellmon have opposing views, regarding the impact of google. Carr is on the negative end, while Wellmon is somewhere in the middle. Wellmon believes that the web is just another way of organizing information and not something of great concern. Wellmon compares the concerns regarding google to the concerns with having ‘too many books’ when the printing press was created. Carr is one of the concerned people, who believes that google is changing people’s thoughts and habits. Carr is worried that google is affecting people’s ability to concentrate while reading long pieces of text. The human brain gets used to reading simplified versions of texts on google. People are easily distracted due to the “hyperlinks, blinking ads, and other digital gewgaws”. People get into the habit of jumping around from place to place and leaving articles incomplete; which then contributes to the lack of concentration they experience while reading books.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t consider the extent to which technology impacts how we govern our lifestyle: its impact on our decisions. We don’t listen to our bodies and instead, we choose whether or not we will do something based on what the clock says. Similarly, digital technology may control our lives; or is it already?
DeleteThe argument of ‘Google making us stupid’ is presented by both individuals, but Chad Wellmon says that Google, and a more digitized society can have positive impacts on peoples as well. Carr blames increased usage of digital media for shorter attention spans and skimming sites. While Wellmon does not outright say that he disagrees, he claims that the internet is a new and revolutionary technology. With a drastically new technology like this, he argues that we have to be responsible with the information that we can so easily grasp. We should to work for, be informed about, and question our sources of information. Carr addresses that changing the way people communicate, can change what they communicate about (in reference to Nietzsche's typewriter). Wellmon discusses that, with constant information available to Google, it is only getting smarter. Wellmon also considers that Google is making us a bit more informed in a vast number of areas.
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Carr suggests that everyday queries shouldn’t be met with a short, digestible answer. The world isn’t that simple. This may discourage further questions by just giving a six word answer. Wellmon thinks that a shallow understanding in many topics is alright, because it leads to more inquiry. Shallow understandings do have their place, but we should be constantly asking questions to have a deeper understanding, not just to know more.
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Carr makes an argument against Google and its negative influence on current day society, by whereas Wellmon suggests that Google is neither negatively or positively affecting today’s society. Carr claims that we are losing the ability to comprehend the knowledge of long works of text due to short texts that are often read on the internet. He is concerned about texts found on the internet being short and incomplete, hence causing the human brain to become more lethargic than ever. Wellmon claims that unlike books, which were available mostly for the elite class around the time when print was invented, information on the internet is available for everyone from the start. He says that people are worried about the internet just like when people were worried about having too many books when the printing press was created. I agree with Wellmon that Google has provided mankind with valuable information easier.
ReplyDeleteAfter scanning my colleagues’ comments, I come to add that Wellmon claims that Google is being constantly added with information, hence easily providing mankind with more knowledge in the coming years. Technology is heavily dependant on the way one uses it. If used properly, technology will reward one with greatness.
DeleteIn the first article, Carr believes that the internet is wiring google users into a state of cognitive dependency. In a way you become accustomed to a very narrow stream of ideas rather than having a range of values and standards. We are expecting an immediate answer to our requests but we avoid any deep or critical thinking ( we aren’t thinking for ourselves). This leads to laziness and causes us to conform to popular opinions. Alternatively, Wellmon thinks that google cannot impact your mindset significantly. He does recognize that google gives leeway to determined individuals to expand their horizons or to connect with others for support. The implication of this is that google has a vast amount of data but it is up to the user to determine how to decipher the information. He uses google as an analogy to the emergence of the printing press - it helped people become smarter and more literate.
ReplyDeleteMost people are technically engaged, irrespective of what part of the world they live in, where the incessant nature of modernization is contributing to society. By using google, users have become dependent and uncritical - they don’t question the enhancement or improvements of the web and blindly accept it.
DeleteThe articles sit on an unbalanced scale that measures the effects of the Web on our developing minds. Carr’s view tips the scale dangerously to the left, weighing his point with the notion that Google is making us stupid. Google has efficiently succeeded in shortening our attention span with flash-ads and brief summaries delivered by a swift skim. We are implanting ourselves within the thought that the Web can effectively perform every task that needs to be completed, without requiring us to extend any effort. Wellmon’s view sits in the middle, because there is no positive or negative concerning the Web. For centuries, we have evolved along with technology. Humans connect with the Web in a complex and interesting relation. We created the Web, and now the Web is creating us. Carr and Wellmon both pose different questions but their answers both coexist in a compelling argument.
ReplyDeleteWellmon suggests that the highway to understanding digital technology doesn’t have a set speed-limit and that we may choose our pace. Carr drives the thought that we are all converging on one race that escapes profound knowledge and the use of time to gather thought, and we’re only searching for the nearest exit.
DeleteThe distinctive dichotomy between the contending opinions of Wellmon and Carr each make valid comments on the nature of human beings and our interactions with our technological environments. Carr, who is at the forefront of internet criticism, weaves his article with the slightest amount of luddite leanings. Ultimately, Carr castigates the way in which technology shapes how we interpret knowledge, wearily regarding the way in which society’s ability to read has changed in our persistent desire for “immediacy.” In variance with this opinion, though, is Wellmon, who argues that despite technology’s exponential growth in recent years, the internet is only another filter in which we organize and process our knowledge, much like encyclopedias. This opinion is the one in which I feel inclined to agree upon, as he makes the compelling argument that technology has never been separate from us, but rather a phenomenon in which we interact with everyday.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to these points, both Carr and Wellmon address a common subject within their writing: How the Internet Shapes its' Creators. Our own digital evolution is dependent on our perception of new ideas and ideologies presented to us, and whatever filters they were refined through. Despite having similar roots, though, each author tells their own truth.
Delete(Addendum is inspired from the comment made by Ravleen Gill)
From the two articles provided, we can clearly conclude the dichotomy between the two authors. While Carr believes that the internet has affected our ability to concentrate and contemplate deep aspects of many issues, Wellmon insists that the internet is not just a independent tool at human disposal. Alternatively humans and technology has had an interdependent relationship since long ago. Carr points out that our prolonged interaction with technology can reverse some aspects if not, much of what makes us humans. He also argues that our style in doing certain things are significantly altered since the introduction of technology. As an opposition to that Wellmon suggests that as we prolong the use of our technology and better understand it, we are making an impact on a macro-level and only by interacting with technology further, can we alter our browsing experience and help us create a deeper connection with our technology.
ReplyDeleteMany comments talk about how the internet is not created to bound people, It is a tool that helps simplify concepts for people to read about and further heighten their knowledge. So it is the user's responsibility to rid themselves of distractions such as popup ads, so they can have a healthy relationship with their browser.
DeleteThese two articles contrast significantly. Carr strongly criticizes technology, viewing it as something that is creating shortcomings in our cognition by causing us to have a decreasing concentration levels and expectations and dependency on convenience. Carr suggested that that cognitive abilities are shaped based on the technology available causing us to now take in knowledge with less depth. We can access a vast amount of information in seconds but that can result in a reliance to efficiently accessing information, prompting limited thought and contemplation. Contradicting that, Wellmon sees that the internet is mainly purposed to be accessible for anyone to obtain information that they can use to broaden their knowledge. The increasing amount of data was made to be useful for everyone, although it's up to the user to apply and understand that information in a way meaningfully for them. Wellmon sees technology as being beneficial depending on how you interact with it. Carr believes it's taking away more than it gives you.
ReplyDeletePrior to reading my peers responses, I was leaning towards Wellmons argument but now I have insight towards both arguments. I feel Wellmon is correct regarding humans having the ability to effectively gain knowledge and then using it to their advantage. However Carr makes a valid point about humans driven toward efficiency and convenience.
DeleteCarr and Wellmon both view the aspect of technology with different perspectives. According to Carr, Google has negatively impacted society as it has replaced the use of the printing press. The printing press/book allows readers to not just acquire knowledge but, also understand the purpose the author is trying to express, which increases our abilities to create new ideas, draw references, and become critical thinkers. In contrast, Wellmon quotes, “Knowledge is hard won; it is crafted, created, and organized by humans and their technologies.” Wellmon believes that Google is an alternate method to organize and gain knowledge. Google provides millions of links to appear in a second, making it more efficient and effective for society to rely on. Wellmon comments that society is making Google smarter every time they search something, improving its ability to produce and organize links. Google is a useful source for society when utilized in the correct manner.
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DeleteThe aspect of technology plays an essential role in our daily lives, delivering both positive and negative effects. Google allows us to process and organize information in a more effective and efficient manner. Google has shorten our attention span resulting society to skim long article like these and not fully understanding the purpose of the article, or ignoring the precise evidence the author states to express his point.
Carr and Wellmon both have different point of views on how google impacts us. Carr believes that when we read long articles we lose the ability to focus on understanding what the author is trying to say. He says, Google has a negative impact on us because of the way it has caused many people to have trouble with reading because people usually start to skim through as much of the information provided by the author. On the other hand, Wellmon's views Google as a source to an abundance of information of which all may or may not be true. He believes that it is up to us to decide to believe them or research them further to learn the real truths. Google is an search engine that organises data and filters our search results but does not know which information is true. It is up to us to to believe what information is right or wrong, it is up to Google to provide us with information.
ReplyDeleteGoogle is helping us in a way to learn more about the things we didn’t know although it makes our minds think slower. Google finds us the information and hands it to us in a jiffy, in the past it would’ve taken a long time trying to find the information but with Google by our side we can accomplish anything in a matter of seconds.
DeleteCarr and Chad Wellmon share two different ideas about how google is affecting us. The first article is basically saying that when we are given mass amounts of information at our fingertips,it is harder for us look for small pieces of information in large texts. For example, it can be hard to read a textbook on a topic but searching it up feels more easy. The second article argues that our skills are changing from memorizing large amounts of information to being able to search things up and apply them. Carr argues that the more time he spends online, the worst he gets at reading. Wellmon argues that we are using our skill by skimming things and finding relevant info and that we are making google smarter by telling it what we need. They are not in total opposition, but have different angles on the issue of technology.
ReplyDeleteUpon further analysis of my peers responses, it has helped me realize my own perspective on the issue. I agree with Carr because I literally did the thing he said is bad. When I started reading his research, I skimmed most of it before realizing I was doing the thing he wrote an entire paper about.
DeleteCarr’s ideas about the digital age revolve around the idea that humanity has never bestowed upon such an occurrence before, however Wellmon’s article points out the sublimity of Google’s search algorithm in that it provides humans with the ability to organize, evaluate, and engage the world. For example, Carr states that Google’s role in our lives is so massive, it holds the ability to alter the psychological aspects - such as processing information - of our brain. Carr scrutinizes his and his peers’ reduced ability to process a great amount of information, causing them to skim through texts longer than two pages. However, Wellmon refers to a time in history where there were so many books in the market that access to mediocre texts was easily accessible. Wellmon makes note of the solution to this problem in the digital age that companies such as Google developed; the existence of an algorithm that delivers prime results.
ReplyDeleteUpon reading other user's comments, I have concluded that the effect websites such as Google have in terms of knowledge depends on the reader's interest in the topic. Uninteresting (subjectively) topics will leave learners with wasted time, something which has been prevalent since the invention of the printing press. The more interesting the subject, the more one retains.
DeleteThe first article is very confident in saying that google and having all of this information at our fingertips is indeed making us stupid. The article is very strong on indicating where they stand on this topic while on the other hand the second article is not so clear on how they view it. The first article states that over the years of using technology to read it has made a multiple of people less and less literate. Providing claims such as “Technology has shortened my attention span making it harder to visualize large amounts of writing” The second article however tells the reader that they are not asking the correct question. The second article does take sides on the argument but instead stands in the middle and looks at both sides. It states that in the digital world where people are demanding quantity over quality google is making us stupid but it also states that the first article is making a vital error in overlooking the casual effects of technology.
ReplyDeleteEvaluating the other blogs I have come to the realization that I have missed a major point in the dichotomy of these two articles. Thanks to the points made by peers I have a greater realization in that google provides mankind with a more abundance of information balancing out the negatives of technology.
DeleteCarr’s opinion on the outcome of humans growing dependence on technology greatly differs from Wellmons. Carr believes the technology has caused humans to become “intellectually lazy,” so much so that technology has made us become sluggish on intellectual thinking. Furthermore, he believes that due to humans being able to “find information “at the touch of a button.” He believes that one's thoughts and ideas are changed or influenced directly by technology, and that our intellectual capacity in some departments are negatively influenced by technology. In contrast, Wellmons opinion suspects that technology does not benefit nor reduce a person's intelligence. Wellmon thinks that while people can be dependent on technology, that does not mean that they have have become slow minded. To conclude, I strongly agree with Wellmons opinion because he believes that a person's intelligence is unaffected by technology, and that knowledge is knowledge, regardless of where it comes from.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading different views on Carr's and Wellmons views on technology, my opinion of technology was reinforced by others statements. Carr criticized googles psychological effect on our minds, ignoring the fact that it helps develop our organizational and evaluation skills.
DeleteFor the views, it seems that Carr has a more negative opinion regarding how Google is affecting us, while Wellmon is trying to balance the pro’s and con’s regarding this topic. For Carr, he believes that Google has made our mental habits more lazy. As Google causes us to unable to process large amounts of information from paragraph’s; however, for Wellmon it’s the opposite. Wellmon mentions that ever since Ancient Greece, every philosopher has warned about the development of devices for information. Such as Socrates who mentioned that the development of writing would make our mind’s lazier to think. Or during the Middle Ages when the printing press was developed. A lot of philosophers were afraid that it will cause an overload of information, but it was more beneficial. The eventual outcome as Wellmon mentioned was that these inventions including Google has helped the spread of information much more easier. That's is why I agree with Wellmon, as that Google has benefited mankind and allowed us to access information easier.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading my peer's response on these two articles, they all have a similar view with me and generally agreed that Wellmon's view was correct; however, I to some extent agree with Carr. Google has made our minds lazy, and it makes us unable to process large amounts of information.
DeleteThe first article refers to that technology is changing the way we live and think. Unfortunately carr believes it makes us stupid due to our brain doesn’t have to work as hard so it doesn’t get the exercise it needs to stay fit and not smart for example if a massive bodybuilder stop lifting heavy weights and stick to the very light and easy ones soon he will lose all the muscle and will only be left with muscles to only lift the light and easy ones. On the other hand Wellmon believes google is helping us become smarter by eliminating the time it takes to research and find answers for certain things, now you can just find answers within seconds. By eliminating the time of research we can learn 10 times the information in the same time it would take for one piece of information. With the extra time we can make more advancements.
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DeleteI have come to notice that google could actually be making us “stupid” as Carr says to a certain extent. There’s no way of really knowing if the facts we find on google are right/true they might just be fake. Along with that many things on the internet are biased.
Carr believes the human dependence on technology is a bad thing. The mindset that technology such as the internet is causing harm to the human race is a valid argument.He's interpreting finding information at the touch of a button in seconds anywhere is diminishing our ability to think for ourselves. While in the other article Wellmons has an understanding that technology has the potential to empower it doesn't cause one to become slow minded. I do think that both articles have very valid arguements but I lean more to the side of Wellmon. A persons intellect isn't decided by technology but more of how they use it to their advantage.
ReplyDeleteI really disagree with Carr now because I see that Google is a great tool for learning and ingesting new knowledge. It's helping us develop new ways for us to absorb information as well as having an understanding of what it means to learn.
DeleteLooking at the two articles, we see that Carr and Wellmon have opposing views on the impact of Google in our lives. In the first article, Carr talks about how with this massive source of information at our fingertips, it begins to feel harder for us to pick out pieces of information in large bodies of text, as in this day and age of technology, many prefer to look at short texts found on the internet instead of a much longer text. Leading to us hindering our ability to identify and understand the message trying being expressed by the author. In the second article, Wellmon talks about how Google organizes millions of links in a matter of seconds, ready for you to go through compared to a handful of books and articles. We can access tons of info with just a few searches and find what we need. Wellmon connects Google to the idea of the printing press in the idea of it making information more accessible.
ReplyDeleteAfter looking at the responses made from my peers, I can see that Carr does have a certain reasoning behind his views. Although I believe that the internet can be helpful, Carr is right in a way as all of these links, little texts make us lazy and unable to read large texts.
DeleteBoth articles view different perspectives. In the article “Is Google making us stupid,” one of the main points they mentioned was the more they use the Web, the more difficulty they have concentrating on long pieces of writing. In contrast, the other article states how technology is developed to give us an insight on how technology distributes knowledge. They also talk about the different type of readers we all have become, reading which is not into our genes like speaking is. Back in the 1980’s when television was less of a choice, Individuals would read more often in another tone, In comparison to the population now that watches more of television. According to Carr, google has put on more influence to the population and been negatively impacting us by replacing books with all the new technology. While Wellmon, believes searching a topic on google every time gives us the ability to improve on our knowledge everytime.
ReplyDeleteWhile Carr did mention all of these points including our lessened attention span and our new found reliability on our technology, Wellmons article brought up the contrasting argument of how fast our way of life is evolving into something more efficient and productive than ever. Our education system and healthcare programs and transportation ways are at increasing in reliability and efficiency daily for the better.
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DeleteI agree with Wellmon, Internet can be positive when used in a positive way. But Carr doesn't have a bad point either, With all the technology we don't read as much so our comprehension skills are also decreasing. Carr is right to an extent that it has affected our ability to concentrate and take in deep aspects of many issues.
DeleteIn his article, Carr references HAL's death scene in 2001 a Space Odyssey. He notes HAL's innocent and desperate tone thought the scene, and contrasts it to the systematic and emotionless attitude of the humans in the film, implying that their machine-like attitude is as a result of the extensive exposure to technology they experience thought their lives. Carr fears that we too will be reduced to a more artificial state because of our exposure to new technology like Google. Wellmon, in an act of dichotomy, responds by comparing Google to earlier technological advancements such as the printing press and typewriter. He states that google is simply another form of organizing our data and therefore can have no direct effect on how smart or dumb we are. It is our interaction with the engine that determines its effect on us.
ReplyDeleteBoth Carr's and Wellmon's articles contrast each other greatly whilst still managing to present very accurate and authentic points of view and reasoning. Carr sees google as being a disassociating and distracting past time while Wellmon believes we are using the internet as a tool to further advance themselves . In the first article, Carr goes on to saying that his focus and his attention span have struggled greatly with the almost overwhelming efficiency and immediacy of the internet and all of its tricks meant to distract you. However , Wellmon goes on to stating how the constant connectivity to google and social media in general is making the human race as a whole into more advanced thinkers as well as more advanced workers. Wellmon believes humanity is simply using the availability of this abundance of knowledge to our advantage and as a stepping stone unto a higher level of education and comprehension.
ReplyDeleteThe difference in opinions between Carrs's and Wellmons articles are significant as we can see in Carr's article the idea of technology is that the we have grown too dependent on technology which has been beneficial in our quest to gain knowledge but has also altered our mind to a more dull state. Wellmon ideas suggest that technology is something that keeps us engaged with the world and that many tend to overlook our constant use in obtaining the information we desire. He claims that the main stipulation between man and the further developing of technology is our conception of the relationship between Man and Machine.In the past there have been people who have critic the development of technology with many reasonable and exaggerated ideas of what the outcome might be.
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DeleteAfter reviewing some of my peers statements, I was intrigued by the ideas that technology does is not the basis of ones intellect but how they use it. Technology is something that has greatly benefited our lives and it doesn't make our brains slower but even more powerful with all the information it contains