As someone who started in networking technology in the early 70’s when we had a fledgling ‘pre-internet’ called ARPANet, I am also someone who grew up before any of this type of technology. When Tim created the internet, I immediately understood the change this would make as it would bring in the masses of people. But I did understand the dangers as it was in 1977 that I saw the first ‘fake news’ post on a bulletin board when someone said Jimmy Carter was a member of the KKK which was entirely incorrect! That opened up my eyes to the potential danger of anonymous posts and unsubstantiated claims. That was a firecracker compared to the nuclear explosions we have each and every day now. So much potential for good being use for evil.
But another little factor is happening today via the internet. We are raising a country of illiterates who have no capacity for doing intensive reading and research or logical thinking. Most everything today is a knee-jerk reaction with little thought. And this has filtered into our education system which is fixated on STEM education and not liberal education. Without context, education has no foundation.
George Santayana stated “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
We are not teaching the past, only the future. This will condemn us to a future with no solid foundation. 140 characters do not lead to intelligence.