I'm glad you posted this article, although it's probably premature to say that our increasing reliance on the Net is frying our brains.
Still, the advent of first, movies, and then, television, reportedly did damage students' writing skills.
Thirty or so years ago, most universities and colleges didn't have mandatory writing labs -- presumably because most freshmen and sophomores didn't need them.
Moreover, Mark Baurelein, an English professor at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., has blasted the Net in general and, I guess, social media in particular, for frying the brains of everyone under 30.
He addresses this in his book, "The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (Or, Don't Trust Anyone Under 30)." (I've read it).
Here's a blurb from Amazon.com:
For decades, concern has been brewing about the dumbed-down popular culture available to young people and the impact it has on their futures.
At the dawn of the digital age, many believed they saw a hopeful answer: The Internet, e-mail, blogs, and interactive and hyper-realistic video games promised to yield a generation of sharper, more aware, and intellectually sophisticated children.
The terms “information superhighway” and “knowledge economy” entered the lexicon, and we assumed that teens would use their knowledge and understanding of technology to set themselves apart as the vanguards of this new digital era.
That was the promise. But the enlightenment didn’t happen. The technology that was supposed to make young adults more astute, diversify their tastes, and improve their verbal skills has had the opposite effect.
According to recent reports, most young people in the United States do not read literature, visit museums, or vote. They cannot explain basic scientific methods, recount basic American history, name their local political representatives, or locate Iraq or Israel on a map.
The Dumbest Generation is a startling examination of the intellectual life of young adults and a timely warning of its consequences for American culture and democracy.
Drawing upon exhaustive research, personal anecdotes, and historical and social analysis, Mark Bauerline presents an uncompromisingly realistic portrait of the young American mind at this critical juncture, and lays out a compelling vision of how we might address its deficiencies.
OK, having posted these comments, I wouldn't be surprised if Boyd kicks me out of the course! But I'd be interested, Cecilia, to hear your reaction!
Thanks for posting that video. It certainly made me think, and I realized that it's certainly true for me. My dependence on the internet allows me to tune out at times, though it's no different than knowing I can get the powerpoint later. I'm in no hurry to lose what memory skills I have left, though, so will make an effort in future.
To Phil, I would say: don't generalize too much from the U.S. model! That country is a huge mess on so many fronts.
Hi, Cecilia:
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you posted this article, although it's probably premature to say that our increasing reliance on the Net is frying our brains.
Still, the advent of first, movies, and then, television, reportedly did damage students' writing skills.
Thirty or so years ago, most universities and colleges didn't have mandatory writing labs -- presumably because most freshmen and sophomores didn't need them.
Moreover, Mark Baurelein, an English professor at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., has blasted the Net in general and, I guess, social media in particular, for frying the brains of everyone under 30.
He addresses this in his book, "The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (Or, Don't Trust Anyone Under 30)." (I've read it).
Here's a blurb from Amazon.com:
For decades, concern has been brewing about the dumbed-down popular culture available to young people and the impact it has on their futures.
At the dawn of the digital age, many believed they saw a hopeful answer: The Internet, e-mail, blogs, and interactive and hyper-realistic video games promised to yield a generation of sharper, more aware, and intellectually sophisticated children.
The terms “information superhighway” and “knowledge economy” entered the lexicon, and we assumed that teens would use their knowledge and understanding of technology to set themselves apart as the vanguards of this new digital era.
That was the promise. But the enlightenment didn’t happen. The technology that was supposed to make young adults more astute, diversify their tastes, and improve their verbal skills has had the opposite effect.
According to recent reports, most young people in the United States do not read literature, visit museums, or vote. They cannot explain basic scientific methods, recount basic American history, name their local political representatives, or locate Iraq or Israel on a map.
The Dumbest Generation is a startling examination of the intellectual life of young adults and a timely warning of its consequences for American culture and democracy.
Drawing upon exhaustive research, personal anecdotes, and historical and social analysis, Mark Bauerline presents an uncompromisingly realistic portrait of the young American mind at this critical juncture, and lays out a compelling vision of how we might address its deficiencies.
OK, having posted these comments, I wouldn't be surprised if Boyd kicks me out of the course! But I'd be interested, Cecilia, to hear your reaction!
Hi Cecilia,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting that video. It certainly made me think, and I realized that it's certainly true for me. My dependence on the internet allows me to tune out at times, though it's no different than knowing I can get the powerpoint later. I'm in no hurry to lose what memory skills I have left, though, so will make an effort in future.
To Phil, I would say: don't generalize too much from the U.S. model! That country is a huge mess on so many fronts.