Could the Internet Interfere with Our Ability to Think Deeply?

                In Nicholas Carr’s book The Shallows, he talked about the tale of Sleepy Hollow, and how Hawthorne was deep in thought, but then all of a sudden he hears the whistle of a locomotive and the packs of business men. He was disrupted and could not think straight anymore because the “contemplative mind [was] overwhelmed by the noisy world’s mechanical busyness” (167). Carr related this to the internet by saying that the Net, like the train, distracts us from being able to think deeply, and consequently, our minds are always in “perpetual locomotion” (168). Carr believes “there is no Sleepy Hollow on the Internet, no peaceful spot where contemplativeness can work its restorative magic” (220). I do not really think Carr thought this statement through, because although the Net can interrupt our deep thought process, there are some spots on the Internet where one can think deeply and write down his/her thoughts. 
                I do agree that while we are surfing the internet, we could instead be being productive and deeply thinking about other subjects. But honestly the Net is a nice break from thinking too hard, and it feels nice to surf the internet and talk to friends, while not having to think too deeply. Although this is true, some people could be in deep thought, and then get a notification or email for example, disrupting the person’s thinking. Personally, this happens to me very often.
                Although it may seem that the Internet totally prevents us from thinking deeply, this is not totally accurate or true at least in my eyes. There are indeed places one can go to contemplate. For example, one can make a blog and write down their thoughts while in deep thought and share them with the world.  People could come to the blog and respond to these ideas while also sharing their own, and this in turn would make the original writer think even deeper about the topic, how they think about it, and what they have written. Also, one actually has the choice whether or not he/she gets distracted. People may argue for example that they can’t help it if they get a notification and they have to look at their phone or their computer screen. They may also say that even if they put their phones away, they will still be thinking about the notifications they are getting. One could counter argue that if someone really wants to focus and has the motivation, he/she will make himself/herself focus, and clear his/her mind while also keeping the internet and his/her phone out of sight.
                It seems that there are many ways one could think about this topic. To sum up my thoughts, the internet can interfere with our ability to think deeply if we let it or we use it too often.  It is possible to think deeply on the web by writing down our own thoughts or reflecting on those of others. One can choose to let the internet distract them, or to only use it in moderation. The social norm, though, is telling people like us that it’s okay to be connected to the internet all the time.

-Jill Zalewski