Does The Internet Prevent us from Thinking Deeply?
“But I came to realize, some time in 2007, that I was losing my ability to pay deep attention to one thing over a long period of time.” -Nicholas Carr
Nicholas Carr, the author of The Shallows, makes some really valid points about what the internet is doing to our brains. The internet is a very good place to socialize with your friends and entertain yourselves with sites like YouTube, Instagram, Snap chat, Facebook, etc. These sites can accessed on your phone in a matter of seconds and it is always around you. These sites provide a distraction from anything productive that you are trying to do in a big way. Nicholas Carr and many people experienced this problem in a simple activity such as reading a book. Once we start reading, it is very hard to sustain focus while reading no matter how hard you try because your brain is always wanting to look at a snap someone is sending, or look at the funny Instagram post that someone posted, or even checking your email, or just surfing the web just to surf the web. This may seem like a small problem because it seems like it is easy to get distracted while reading because people do not usually enjoy reading, but the deeper issue with always being distracted is that your mind works best when your mind is relaxed and focused. But if you’re always looking on Facebook, sending snaps, looking through YouTube videos, etc. you’re mind is always distracted and you will never be able to focus your mind and access your inner creativity. When your mind is focused that’s when it works best. But the internet prevents us from entering that state of mind.
