Quick synopsis or Summary of the book.
In the book, Nicholas Carr examines the the effect internet has on our brains.
-The overwhelming amounts of stimuli we are exposed to all at once.
-Having the digital world at our fingertips leads us to endless loop of information and this has caused us to have a more social focused and efficient lifestyle than ever before
-but these benefits come at a price.
One of the main comparisons Carr explains throughout the book is two different types of intelligence.
-Before the Industrial Revolution, intelligence was defined as the extent to which a person had a “literary mind,” or a mind capable of sitting quietly and solving complex problems.
-But now a new definition of intelligence started to take hold, one that privileged efficiency and multi-tasking over deep thinking. The system as a whole was seen as more important than the individual.
The overall summary of the book explains how the new definition of intelligence is rewiring our brains in a more disturbing way than ever before. He explains how the internet provides such a big amount of distractions that no energy is left for our brains to work out complex thoughts and emotions
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Survival of the busiest
In the book he talks about how “Experiments show that just as the brain can build new or stronger circuits through physical or mental practice, those circuits can weaken or dissolve with neglect. ‘If we stop exercising our mental skills,’ writes Doidge, ‘we do not just forget them:
2. Another Key takeaway is Carr explaining the Brain and technology
He says the key takeaways from the internet are
The technology we use – maps, clocks, books, the internet – shape our minds through the process of neuroplasticity. Certain skills are strengthened; others weakened.
3. The nets addictiveness
Carr explains the addiction and the effects it has on our brains
The Net also provides a high-speed system for delivering responses and rewards – ‘positive reinforcements,’ in psychological terms – which encourage the repetition of both physical and mental actions.
Animal behavior is almost exclusively explained by that simple phrase. Reward a dog for doing some trick, and the dog will gladly repeat the trick over and over. While humans are a bit more sophisticated than animals, our behavior is still strongly influenced by rewards.
When you check your email, hop on Facebook, make a Google search, send out a tweet, or go through your Instagram feed, you do it in the hope of a reward – an email from an old friend, a “like” on your post, a fascinating bit of information, replies to your tweet, or sexy images from your co-workers.
My personal opinion on the book
My personal Opinion is that this book is that this read is extremely interesting.
This book gives many examples and dumbs down what is happening in our brains while using technology. This allowed me to understand a lot more about what is happening neurologically.
It also had many different facts about what is so helpful and intriguing about technology but the prices we pay to have all the information and answers at our fingertips instead of having to figure things out for ourselves
Overall, this book was a good read, I do recommend it to someone who likes to read interesting and informational reads.
Saying this, although it contradicts what the whole book explains, looking up the effects social media and technology has on our brains is much easier and more efficient and will give you the same answers.
Comentarios