How the Internet Changes Our Minds

How the Internet Changes Our Minds

In chapter seven of The Shallows, Carr discusses how the internet has changed the way our mind works.  Carr says that “when we go online, we enter an environment that promotes cursory reading, hurried and distracted thinking, and superficial learning” ( 116 ).  He also says that people, who use the internet daily for about two to three hours, usually repeat their actions over and over while being on websites.  I totally agree what Carr says because it is true.  I see many people on a daily basis on the internet whether they are on their smart phones or a computer; they continually refresh their web page.  I am even guilty of doing this.  I believe people repeatedly refresh the page, looking for an update or something that would quickly entertain them.  Something for entertainment or to read is what “provides a high-speed system for delivering responses and rewards- ‘positive reinforcements,’ in psychological terms” ( 117 ).

            Google can be used as a good example when it comes to receiving positive reinforcements on the internet.  When someone searches something on Google, in less than a second, we are provided with a never ending list of different kinds of links and files that are all available all at once.  The same concept applies to Facebook and Twitter.  People post Facebook posts and tweets so that their friends or other people can comment on them or tweet you back.  After thinking about this I think that it makes a lot of sense and is a clear explanation of why people keep on returning to use social networking sites.

            Another aspect of the internet that Carr discusses in chapter seven is that the internet is equipped with many different hyperlinks that can easily distract us from what we are trying to achieve.  Carr says that the “ net seizes our attention only to scatter it ” ( 118 ).  Again, Google would be a good example of this.  For example, if I were to Google a store’s name to find their website I would get different kinds of links and files in my search results.  This does not only include a list of actual websites, but any images, any stores that are near your location using Google maps that are available.  The ideas that the internet scatters your attention are similar to search results such as these.

-Dan Portnoy