theatlantic.com — The Web has been a godsend to me as a writer. Research that once required days in the stacks or periodical rooms of libraries can now be done in minutes. A few Google searches, some quick clicks on hyperlinks, and I’ve got the telltale fact or pithy quote I was after.
Jun 10, 2008 View in Crawl 4
cwmatherJun 10, 2008
I'm not saying that we have not VASTLY improved our wealth of knowledge and broken past our past limitations, which is what you seem to be arguing. What I AM saying, is that the advent of search engines like Google and databases like Wikipedia our pursuit of knowledge has taken a nose dive. It's so much easier to get the information we need or want that some of the joy of finding it is gone.
super1221Jun 11, 2008
Love the article. I agree about Google. Oh well, what can you do.Check my article out if you get a chance: <a class="user" href="http://digg.com/business_finance/The_Single_Best_Site_for_Earning_Cash_During_Your_Spare_Time.">http://digg.com/business_finance/The_Single_Best_S ...</a> Thanks so much for your time.
kgbeatsJun 11, 2008
Did anyone read the highlights and skip to the end?
kitsuaJun 12, 2008
I've been trying to think of a way of responding to your potent idiocy but words fail me, so these ones will have to do; you are stupid - please stop voicing your opinions where others can read them.
davelakhaniJun 16, 2008
This is a great article and the observations have wide ranging impact for publishing to be sure. It is nice to know that others have noticed this as well. I think that regularly unplugging for a week at a time is a good idea if for no other reason than to reset your brain.
djstrouseJun 27, 2008
The comments on this page prove Carr's point. Many of you obviously did not take the time to read, or more importantly, digest, his article. His line of argument clearly highlights that we become 'stupider', not from using the internet, but from using it irresponsibly. The internet certainly enables us to be smarter but only if we use it smartly.Be aware of your habits. Don't merely consume. Reflect, make connections, think creatively, and contribute.
everybodysmiledJul 4, 2008
Google has made us better searchers. Also, in some ways, it has made us experts on knowing a little about a lot, versus knowing a lot about a little, because it allows us to skim the material, rather than immerse ourselves in it. I agree that the article was too long ... sheesh!
teradomeJul 22, 2008
To be stupid is to lack intelligence.To lack knowledge is ignorance.Google is only solving the ignorance problem.Anyway, the title is a curveball anyway; The story is really "is the Internet making us stupid" as Google only comes in at the last third of the article after most of the heavy questions regarding the medium have been brought up. In fact, hyperlinking itself sounded like a bigger problem than Google.And re: the 2001 analogy: Kubrick's text was that humans had given up their evolutionary power to machines, and only until Man reclaimed that from the machines could it (re: Bowman) evolve into the next evolutionary phase (re: Starchild). Specifically, the entire Jupiter mission is in HALs hands, and the astronauts have no knowledge of why they are really out there. I still would say this is irrelevant; Again, knowledge is not thinking, and Google's ideal AI is far less HAL and much more the voice in the Hitchhiker's Guide.