RR#5

In the article “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” by Nicholas Carr, he explains how much more simple it is in today’s day and age to gain knowledge and the process of searching for information. He goes on to assert how a search engine like “Google” has dulled our ability to gain knowledge through the research and reading of books. Pointing out that having the internet on hand has changed the way we function, and how easy it has become for us to be changed to the ways of the web.
Google has revolutionized the way people study and research topics, how with a click of a button, you can gain more knowledge in one sitting then you could spending the day in a library or study. Nicholas Carr claims that “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.” To me, having such a tool at hand is both a curse and a blessing. I believe this to be so, because it is true that information you seek is a click away, but so is many other things. Irrelevant information that can lead us astray from our original quest or eye-catching video’s provided by Google’s recommended or “Is this what you’re looking for?” immediate results. Thing’s that will draw us away from our original assignment or study or research. But having such a tool at hand has indeed made many things much simpler, not only in my life, but in many others. Providing information through experience of others to give us insight on what to look for, or giving the different age generations a look at each other’s lives in their day. Lastly, the main idea many people have come to believe in is that it’s the person behind the tool that makes the difference of whether or not it becomes an aid or a hassle. Even Nicholas Carr has claimed that he has had trouble staying on task, especially while reading a book. “I’m not thinking the way I used to think. I can feel it most strongly when I’m reading. Immersing myself in a book or a lengthy article used to be easy. My mind would get caught up in the narrative or the turns of the argument, and I’d spend hours strolling through long stretches of prose. That’s rarely the case anymore. Now my concentration often starts to drift after two or three pages. I get fidgety, lose the thread, begin looking for something else to do.” And just like many of us, he’s drawn back to the wonders of the internet.
Because of whom we are, as a species, we have to evolve and shift our minds to adapt to new conditions and environments. Nicholas Carr formulates that “The human brain is almost infinitely malleable.” This means that the human race’s mind shapes and morphs to the conditions that we’re put in. So, having these tools on hand, the human race has evolved to be able to effectively use, if not over-use then. “The brain,” according to Olds, “has the ability to reprogram itself on the fly, altering the way it functions.” Looking at this evidence, one could believe that it is possible, Google is making us stupid, but in my opinion we are thriving from it. Using the rapid research has benefitted the continuance of education without the time to leave in between for research and study.