Author Topic: Attention span abbreviated  (Read 959 times)

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Plane

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Attention span abbreviated
« on: June 17, 2008, 12:14:10 AM »


Googling does a brain bad?

Is the Internet eroding our attention spans? Nicholas Carr thinks so, and his rather lengthy essay in the latest Atlantic Monthly has been debated hither and yon across the blogging community.

See, the human brain is not hard-wired to read. But for the last few centuries, we've trained it to concentrate on extended narratives. And civilization resulted, more or less.

Now, the Internet, with its ultra-easy access to information, is rewiring our brains to be more jittery, to jump about from one topic to the next like drunken monkeys. Got a question? Google it! But check TMZ.com first for the latest on R. Kelly trial news. We're losing our patience for reflection or immersion in a single body of work, like a book.

Or even a lengthy magazine piece, evidently. Few of our friends had time to read Carr's entire essay.
http://www.gcn.com/blogs/tech/46463.html

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200807/google
« Last Edit: June 17, 2008, 12:15:45 AM by Plane »

fatman

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Re: Attention span abbreviated
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2008, 11:29:17 AM »
I think that this is true.  I read, on average, one book a week.  I like non-fiction, and prefer history, but I'll read fiction by McMurtry, McCarthy, Kellerman and King every so often.  It often surprises me how many people my age don't read.  Usually they say that they don't have the time, but I think it's more that they don't have the inclination.

I wonder how many of the kids growing up in today's environment are going to be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD simply because they don't have the patience to read a book or concentrate on a single task.  If that's the case, then a lot of adults are inflicted too.

Xavier_Onassis

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Re: Attention span abbreviated
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2008, 12:10:48 PM »
Usually they say that they don't have the time, but I think it's more that they don't have the inclination.

=================================
It seems like it's both to me.
They are watching TV, and as a result they don't have time to read.
We all have 24 hours per day. What we focus on is the issue here.

As far as R. Kelly's trial goes, I am pretty sure that TMZ will tell me all , perhaps quite a bit more, than I need to know.

I tend to doubt that a thorough knowledge of R. Kelly's life will cause me to enhance the civilization in which I live.
"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."

fatman

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Re: Attention span abbreviated
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2008, 12:30:05 PM »
I thought R. Kelley was acquitted the other day?

Rich

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Re: Attention span abbreviated
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2008, 12:39:06 PM »
>>I thought R. Kelley was acquitted the other day?<<

He was. Despite conclusive video evidence. Jurors even admitted they knew he did it.

Can you say O.J.?

Unbelievable.

fatman

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Re: Attention span abbreviated
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2008, 01:23:44 PM »
>>I thought R. Kelley was acquitted the other day?<<

He was. Despite conclusive video evidence. Jurors even admitted they knew he did it.

Can you say O.J.?

Unbelievable.


Seems to be a lot of that going on anymore.

kimba1

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Re: Attention span abbreviated
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2008, 03:54:59 PM »
I think it`s worst
I had a kid at work who told me he`s the only one with a laptop at school and says he types everything.
I asked about his writing ability and he says he already knows how to write but thinks outside of writing his signature it`s not needed.
he`s ten
call me old fashion but I think this will be a problem.
I do notice people are not willing to write signs for safety reasons,willing to wait for somebody to print one up.