Distraction of the Internet

In Chapter 7 of The Shallows, Carr goes into first-person singular and expresses what he himself feels about the way the internet has affected us.  He asks us the question, “What can science tell us about the actual effects that Internet use is having on the way our minds work” (Carr 115)?  Carr then goes on to answering this question by saying, “When we go online, we enter an environment that promotes cursory reading, hurried and distracted thinking, and superficial learning” (Carr 116).  As a college student trying to manage 7 or more classes a semester, I couldn’t agree more with this answer.  I have had many experiences of my own that illustrates Carr’s point and proves it to be truthful. 

“During the course of a day, most of us with access to the Web spend at least a couple of hours online- sometimes much more- and during that time we tend to repeat the same or similar actions over and over again, usually at a high rate of speed and often in response to cues delivered through a screen or a speaker” (Carr 116).  I have experienced this exact statement almost every day of my college experience.  When I wake up in the morning before class, the first thing I do is turn my laptop on and check my email and Facebook.  I then find myself, in between classes, going to the library to use a computer to check my email and check my Facebook. I come back from class and again find myself signing into my email and logging into Facebook.  I will do that a couple more times in-between homework breaks and my gym workout.  Finally, one last check of my email and Facebook is done before going to bed just to wake up the next day and restart the cycle. 

“Watch a kid texting his friends or a college student looking over the roll of new messages and requests on her Facebook page or a businessman scrolling through his e-mails on his BlackBerry- or consider yourself as you enter keywords into Google’s search box and begin following a trail of links.  What you see is a mind consumed with a medium.  When we’re online, we’re often oblivious to everything else going on around us “(Carr 118).  I sadly am that kid texting and that college student looking at new messages and requests on Facebook, completely zoning out not paying attention to what’s going on around me.  My mother could be asking me a question while I’m texting a friend or searching Facebook and I will not even hear what she asked me.  At the O’Leary library, I could be using Facebook and my friend next to me could ask me a question relating to classes and I again will not even hear what the question was. 

On top of getting distracted, I find myself also doing cursory reading online.  If I have to research a specific topic, I will find a website and skim the pages until gaining some form of knowledge on the topic.  I gain knowledge online in a summary form, quick and easy and with lack of much effort.  I would much rather do cursory reading online, jumping from site to site, than sit down and take time to read a book that requires time and effort.   

So after admitting all of this, I come to the conclusion that Carr is probably right with his findings.  I am a prime example of how the internet and other forms of media distract an individual.  I am also a prime example of how people tend to do cursory reading online. 

                                                                                                              Michelle Salvati