Is Google Making Us Stupid?

“Is Google Making Us Stupid?”, an article by Nicholas Carr, expresses his concern that the internet is making people less intelligent. The author writes that because of the internet, specifically google, he is unable to focus on books and long articles. Carr believes that because the human mind is so malleable the way we now receive information via the internet changes the way that we think. He cites a psychologist named Maryanne Wolf who explains that the internet promotes efficiency and immediacy above all else, weakening our ability to emerge ourselves in long piece of literature. Carr reinforces this statement by saying that “our ability to interpret text, to make the rich mental connections that form when we read deeply and without distraction, remains largely disengaged.” Nicholas Carr writes that the internet has many advantages including efficiency and ease, allowing users to find information quickly and easily. He remarks, however, that because of this humans are becoming lazier and less focused.

I do believe that often times it is easier to just google answers to questions, rather than thinking them through and coming up with your own response and opinion. The ease and immediacy of the internet is much more appealing than pouring over large works of literature or relying solely on one’s own intelligence. I think that because of this the internet does diminish a lot of our critical thinking skills and in a sense is making us more stupid. The internet (or Google), however, offers more advantages than disadvantages and is evidence of society advancing through scientific reason. The internet is simply a medium through which our information is most often received, but intelligence is still required to process the information to some extent. Also, in today’s world expediency and brevity are noted as useful as individuals are often more busy and preoccupied in such a technology driven society. Society is becoming a lot more dependent on the internet to transmit news and information to the mass public. The internet offers good and bad aspects, but regardless humans will have to adjust to technology playing a major role in society and must implement technology as a way to improve intelligence rather than hinder it.