"Is Google Making Us Stupid?" Abstract

In the article “Is Google Making Us Stupid” by Nicholas Carr, Carr feels like his mind has lost the ability to concentration and go into deep thought when reading blaming it all on the fast way we get information and read on the Internet. I mostly agree with his thinking but I don’t think its all a bad thing. In our society we are more curious and enjoy getting fast answers, like who sings a song we have in our heads, gossip, sports scores or what happened in the news today. Ok but now we need to discuss reading books and getting meaning from what we read. Yes, in that case, I agree it is easier to go to the Internet, but is it making us stupid?
Bruce Friedman says, “The Internet has altered his mental habits.” He thinks quickly getting straight to the point. We tend to skim over materials and search and search without ever really seeing if an article was worth reading until the end. I think it is making us lazy readers. Why do we need to read a whole book when we can get the same idea and knowledge from a shorter version? Sometimes searching online can be tedious and exhausting because there is so much information. There are times we get distracted searching and find something else we are interested in. Yes going to the library could provide more focus as we would only look up what we needed to know for fear that reading entire books would be such a waste of time. For me getting lost in a library is also possible. I remember my mom yelling at my older brother to go to the library for information, then as I got older she began to realize it is easier to just stay home and get the same information.
Maryanne Wolf states, “We are how we read” that the Internet hurts our ability to be deep thinkers and we have become “mere decoders of information.” I agree that if I had a book in my hand I would be more comfortable to relax and get into the book. It doesn’t bother me when a professor insists we go to the library to do a research paper, it is almost a relief to know there is no choice. If given the option I would pick the Internet. When I sit at the computer for long periods of time I kind of lose concentration but I think that comes from a book too. It is just easier and faster to look things up online; the Internet takes you from one place to another without having to figure anything out at the library. You can read what you need and go on.
In today’s world information is everywhere. I do think it is true that the Internet limits our patience and desire to think and read with deep thought. But it doesn’t really make us “stupid” just very lazy.