Quote:
Originally Posted by Howard Treesong
There was a long article in today's Wall Street Journal about the extent to which smart phones make us dumber. Pretty interesting stuff, and it reprises an old OOT debate. But the basic idea is that they're much more distracting than we imagine they are.
Haven’t read the article yet but will. I was speaking with a friend last week, and I believe one problem that has arisen from basically carrying around the sum of the world’s knowledge in your pocket, is that it actually makes it too easy. Knowledge isn’t earned anymore. And is comes so easily that it isn’t retained. And it has killed conversation and debate. It used to be fun to rack your mind trying to remember who played shortstop for the ‘65 Giants. Or who won the SuperBowl in ‘76. Now, the question is floated, someone googles it and you are done.
Ask me the same question 5 days later and I won’t remember.
You used to have to get on your bicycle and pedal yourself to the library. Rummage through index cards, or speak to the librarian to find a book that holds the answer you seek. You put in that effort and you don’t forget.
Or, maybe I’m just an old.