abcnews.go.com — For most people -- the cab driver, the tourist, the business traveler -- the ubiquitous GPS has become a lifeline, giving directions to the nearest bathroom, a pizza joint or the shortest route to the office. But, just like with spell-checker before it, some experts believe that the guiding device gives less than what it takes away...
Jun 17, 2008 View in Crawl 4
lebatteJun 18, 2008
Will cell phones make us irresponsible and annoying?
pricebreakJun 18, 2008
Asking "Will GPS Make Us Dumb" is liking asking "Do Spell Checker Make Us Stupid".
diggettyJun 19, 2008
I don't know i think i could still kill with a rock. Plus in Australia we don't have the right to guns, and yes all our bank robbers use bows and arrows.
d3dmJun 19, 2008
The continued use of a GPS or any other tool doesn't make you dumb as long as it provides accurate information. In some ways, it's a tool that is teaching you how to memorize an efficient path to a destination. I'm betting that after you have driven to a location with the aid of a GPS, you won't need to use the GPS the next time you make the trip. That's called learning folks and it's the opposite of making one dumb.What can make you dumb is repeatedly getting information that is misleading or wrong. An example would be frequently reading misspelled words and incorrect grammar, as is common all over the Internet. Then vs. than. Their vs. they're, vs. there. When a large part of what you read each day originates on social websites (or worse, via SMS), it's no surprise that spelling and grammar errors proliferate.
trollhunterJun 19, 2008
Ten cheers for railroads and cliffs.Hip hip hooray (repeat 10 times)
pacobellJun 19, 2008
"spelt wrong"Unless you're using that word in the obsolete sense or as a synonym for a type of wheat, I think you'd better hit the books a bit more.
neofreakiiiJun 19, 2008
Like many aspects of technology, GPS has it's good and bad sides to it with relation to the intelligence of its users. Sometimes, people do rely too much on GPS and less on common sense, as a result take GPS for granted and forget the street routes. On the other hand, GPS can sometimes help people discover routes that they never knew before, and hopefully help them remember that route due to constant usage. So it's quite much of a balance between using common sense and technology.
spgassJun 20, 2008
Very interesting. I actually briefly explored the concept earlier this year in a blog post. Here's the link if interested: <a class="user" href="http://lowtechtimes.com/2008/01/16/three-problems-with-gps-navigation-systems/">http://lowtechtimes.com/2008/01/16/three-problems- ...</a>The only thing I would definitely disagree with the author about is that parents will allow their kids out at an earlier age because of GPS. If anything, young kids have much less freedom today than they did when I was growing up. I'm not sure whether it is that society is more dangerous, parents are more overprotective, or both.spgass 10:25 PM
Closed AccountJul 16, 2008
"Umm...not sure if you missed this or not, but shoebox639 was purposely using them incorrectly. In fact, they're all used incorrectly."Linzee82, well I am dyslexic I think I deserve credit for noticing one :P
tonycartmanMay 11, 2009
GPS is has its good points, but I agree that can make people dumb. I know people that stop trusting on the signs on the cities or roads just because GPS is pointing something. Another point is that you miss that ability too find shortcuts when you are in heavy traffic..