"The brain is a lot like a computer. You may have several screens open on your desktop, but you're able to think about only one at a time" -William Stixrud, Ph.D, Neuropsychologist-I believe that the Web can be used both as a great tool - and also, sometimes as a great distraction. In Howard Rheingold's article "Attention Literacy", he discusses how his students tend to drift off into space during class, especially when in the presence of their laptops and cell phones. I think it is safe to say that everyone has been guilty of this at one point or another. Rheingold states that "attention is a skill that must be learned, shaped, practiced". I strongly agree with this statement. In high school, my teachers did not allow any cell phones or laptops in class. When I first came to college, I realized how easy it was to become distracted with a laptop or cell phone on my desk. According to the NPR segment about multitasking, the brain can truly focus on one thing at a time - although many people fool themselves into thinking they are much better at performing multiple tasks at once than they really are. Some even argue that multitasking is dangerous to your health.
The Web is not only changing the way we think, but it is also changing the way we relate to one another. Take for example, Facebook. This site changes the way you interact with your friends. Let's say today is your birthday. You will most likely receive wall posts from your Facebook friends who drop a quick line to wish you a happy birthday. Ten years ago, your friends would most likely send a card in the mail, call you on the phone, or stop by your house for a visit on your birthday. In my opinion, Facebook removes the personal element of relationships. It is much easier to write a quick birthday wish on a Facebook wall - and much more convenient, but I don't think it carries the same value as a more thought-out interaction.
Do you think the Web has changed the way you interact with others? Do you think this has had a more positive or negative impact on your relationships?
In answer to your questions, I don't really think that the internet per se has had a huge impact on how I interact with my friends and family. I am 26 years old and I have a Facebook page, like most people, but honestly before this class I never was interested in Twitter, or Blogging, or LinkedIn for that matter. I prefer to call my close friends and family on their birthdays, I also write on their walls! I think that alot of my friends are much more involved with the internet than I am and sometimes they forget that I don't check Facebook or email 20 times a day. That has led to some confusion in the past but nothing really serious. The link you posted to the multitasking article was interesting! I thought the section where Bauerlein discussed how people are aware the risks of driving-while-tasking yet they can't seem to help themselves. I wonder why we seem to be compelled to do things that we know have potentially harmful consequences.
ReplyDelete