“Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Critical Analysis

Is Google really making us stupid? Nicholas Carr, a technology writer poses that question about the internet and asks readers to give it some thought. He makes suggestions that the internet is changing the way our mind works and that it has negative consequences on the mind. Carr believes that we should be skeptical of the internet because of the adverse ways it may be shaping the way we think. Thinking critically about his article, I can find some patterns in his writing, such as fact and fiction, presenting evidence with an argument, cause and effect, and tonal qualities. Carr starts his article with a quote from a sci-fi movie.
“Dave, stop, will you” (Carr 1). He starts off illustrating an eerie scene from the 2001 movie Space Odyssey. This part of the article is obviously fictional, but does a good job of leading up to his next point. He discusses that he feels like his mind is being influenced by advancing technologies. He states that even as a writer his mind struggles to keep focused on a book, something that is new to him. He blames this on the internet, which he describes as “The perfect recall of silicone memory” (2). He uses his friends as examples, stating that “..many are having similar experiences” (2). While impossible to tell if this fiction or not, one can reason that he’s most likely stating fact. Carr does bring up facts from a London study where results suggest that internet readers aren’t reading in traditional methods and that they do not absorb the text that they are reading. Following that though, he sneaks his opinion that “We are what we read” (3). Carr then does bring up a conversation that he had, stating an interesting fact of how reading is not part of our genes like how speech is. That is a very interesting fact and that suggests that the way we read can be influenced just like other habits. He brings in quotes from other professors he has talked to and mentions how the human brain can still be molded even at older ages. To help support his discussion, he brings up a very interesting part of history. With the invention of the mechanical clock, people minds were changed into thinking in mathematical sections of time. That people “…eat, work, sleep, rise, we stopped listing to our senses and started obeying the clock” (4). When identifying the argument in Carr’s article, some interesting ideas and evidence surface.
I would say that the main point of this essay is to stir discussion how the internet may have negative effects on the human mind. He states how his own memory is being affected by speeding on the internet jumping from one page to the next. He further supports that his reading habits that used to be natural for him have become struggles. He argues that the zip lining across the internet is changing how we read and how we interpret text. He backs this up from evidence from studies performed in London that suggests that people exhibit “”a form of skimming activity” and “…read no more than one or two pages of an article or a book before they would bounce out to another site” (3). Another point he tries to argue is that technology is taking part of forming in his thoughts. He proposes that it has “changed from arguments to aphorisms, from thoughts to puns, from rhetoric to telegram style” (4). The pattern of cause and effect is also apparent in his writing, starting from the very beginning.
Early in the essay, Carr suggests that he is having trouble reading. He then argues that the way we use the internet has hindered his attention, and that he is not alone with this problem. This claim becomes more valid after he references some of his colleagues and reinforces his argument and thesis. One of the most compelling examples of cause and effect is found later in the essay. Carr introduces the idea of the mechanical clock, a piece of technology that arose in the 14th century. Carr states, “…the clock disassociated time from human events and helped create the belief in an independent world of mathematically measurable sequences” (4). That is a startling concept and definitely goes along the line of cause and effect, suggesting that the clock completely affected the way our minds operate. The last pattern of tone can be found throughout the paper.
Carr’s tone seems to have a concerned feel to it, and rightfully should. This can be found by analyzing some of the examples that he gives, and how he seems almost nervous about what the future holds. A good example is when he begins to talk about the internet again. Carr says, “The internet, an immeasurably powerful computing system, is submersing most of our other intellectual technologies” (5). He uses words such as “immeasurably”, “powerful”, and “submersing” that suggests that the internet is truly a threat to us. His purpose seems to get a message across, saying to be aware of how the internet is shaping us.
Carr suggests that we should be skeptical of his skepticism, but he brings up some very interesting concepts. Adverse effects of the internet are undoubtedly out there, and Carr does a good job of getting that across. He uses patterns of fact and fiction, cause and effect, evidence and tone and leaves the reader with much to think about. His paper works because it stirs up thoughts about the relationship between technology and us and backs it up correctly. Maybe we shouldn’t be concerned about Google making us stupid, but how as technology shapes and contorts the way our minds work.

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A Letter to a Southern Baptist Minister

Edward Wilson, a professor at Harvard University writes a letter to a Southern Baptist minister self titled “A Letter to a Southern Baptist Minister.” He introduces the piece by introducing himself as man not so different from him, and states they could possibly even be friends. He begins to ask the Minister for help and acknowledges the major difference between them, how one is a literal interpreter of scripture while Wilson describes himself as a secular humanist. He then tries to make the big connection, “You and I and everyone other human being strive for the same imperatives of security freedom of choice, personal dignity and the cause to belief in that is larger than ourselves”(464). Wilson then surfaces the point of his letter, to set aside their differences and to save creation.
He starts to discuss some scientific facts about the environment suggesting that it is heading in a downward spiral. He tries to rationalize with the minister, suggesting that nature is not a matter of science or religion; it is one of humanity. Wilson then goes on to explain the reasoning he is writing to him, making the strong statement that “If religion and science can be united on the common ground of biological conservation, the problem would soon be solved”(465). He then explains his confusion why many religious leaders hesitate to take action on the cause. He begins to suggest that it’s the way that theses religions work and how the environment won’t matter in the end. He then begins to back off and challenges him to consider his words. He then concludes with a very interesting example of Charles Darwin. Once a religious minded individual, he was eventually changed into putting his faith in science. He closes with a statement of respect and hopes that they can find common ground to help save the environment.
This paper gives a very interesting perspective of the mind of a secular humanist. I find this paper very convincing for numerous reasons. Wilson does a good job of making himself sounding open minded. His arguments are well constructed and supported. The ability to unite religion and science to solve a common problem is a great idea. Religion has an amazing power to unite people and coupled with the interest of science our environment issues can be solved. Wilson addresses this directly stating, “[Nature] is a masterpiece of biology and well worth saving” (464). Coming from a religious background I understand how religion can appear selfish to the environment. I grew up going to Catholic schools and I also noticed the exclusion of the environment which I found bothersome. Sometimes a religion has a tunnel vision effect on people until they put things into perspective. I agree with Wilson’s points how puzzling it is that many people believe the world will end in their lifetime and that only the well being of humans will matter.
Putting that aside, a bigger picture emerges. “The great challenge of the twenty-first century is to raise people to a decent standard of living while preserving as much of rest of life as possible”, is a great way to look at it, said by Wilson(465). Although religion and science on surface appear to be enemies, when put together they can have a powerful influence on this planet.