A Reader for Writers
The book Technology: A Reader for Writers focuses on the vibrant subject regarding information and communication technologies. Further, the book subjects’ students to raise numerous questions concerning how and the diverse ways in which they may be proficient in reflecting them and the entire society through writing and thinking of technology (Rodgers and Johannah). Additionally, the book Technology: A Reader for Writers gives students a chance to discover, learn as well as writing about technologies and many issues which are correlated to them comprising; education, healthcare, public policy, among others. Additionally, this book helps in offering knowledge and skills critical for active participation in discussions about technology, science, and society. The use of the texts from the Technology: A Reader for Writers has led to the acquisition of useful synthesis as they explore similar topics. Some of the combinations evidenced in this book encompass; First, Carr “Is Google making us Stupid?” and Shirky “Does the Internet Make you Smarter?” Secondly, Cronon “Scholarly Authority in a Wikified World” and Carr “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” The texts are presenting diverse views concerning the new technology.
Thesis statement: The arrival of the internet initiated the use of Google hence making individuals smarter as it leads to the value of immediacy. The increased use of online Wikipedia may result in the acquisition of incompetent information due to the absence of professional scholars to scrutinize the entries made by diverse people regardless of the education levels.
The text Carr “Is Google making Us Stupid?” and Shirky “Does the Internet Make you Smarter?” depicts the views of Carr and Shirky regarding the effects of the google and internet may have on the individuals. The fundamental gist or essence of Nicholas Carr’s text “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” is that with all the new technologies in people’s generation, the gradual decline in an individual’s attention spans due to the amount of the technology which is surrounding us. Further, Carr emphasizes that most of the researcher’s decree that it is difficult for them to read an article nowadays is primarily due to the distractions instigated by the technology as it forces them to skim around readings. Carr further clarifies that the incidence of technology often has been helpful as it enables people to easily search and locate the articles to topics they require (Carr and Nicholas 89-94). This is contrary in the before the incidence of google, whereby people had to visit various libraries purposely to search for the books or articles to read. Therefore, Google is not making us stupid. This is depicted in the arguments that Carr presented concerning the new technology, which incorporates the use of google. Google aids researchers or readers to quickly locate the information they require. Therefore, Google is instead making us smarter as it upsurges individuals adapted aptitude of looking for specific topics instead of reading the whole article or book hence making the reading enjoyable.
The essence of Shirky “Does the Internet make you Smarter?” emphasizes that humans have progressively adapted the current forms of writing and technologies which have been offered to them. In this text, Shirky claims that incidence of the new technology which comprises the use of the internet led to the establishment of the printing press which led to the religious revolutions in Europe, which later led to the eras of the literary movements and later resulted into new technology being used today. Thus, leading to the more comfortable spread of the new thoughts to more people within the globe. Consequently, following the Shirky argument regarding the necessity of the internet as it aids in making us smart is chiefly depicted through the aptitude of the individuals to search numerous articles, books, scientific journals, among others (Shirky and Clay). Additionally, Shirky proclaims that in the 1980s, televisions were the primary source of information, whereby only a few people could read books. Therefore, regarding the arguments presented by Shirky in his text, it is manifested that the internet plays a vital role in making individuals smarter. The increasing use of the internet has eased many people from quickly reading books online, which was divergent to the past, whereby resources of information were limited, hence helping people make themselves smarter. Therefore, it evidenced that the internet eases the individual’s ability to retrieve the books or articles they need, besides allowing many people to access information resources to read easily.
The combination of the text Cronon “Scholarly Authority in a Wikified World” and Carr “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” exemplifies the arguments presented by the Cronon and Carr in their topics. In the text “Scholarly Authority in a Wikified World,” Cronon highpoints Wikipedia, which was instituted by the Jimmy Wales, to be the gateway through which millions of people are proficient in seeking information they need. This information was long ago available using a few tools that were established and maintained by professional scholars (Cronon and William). Before the incidence of Wikipedia, many reference tools were accessed counting; the professionals with suitable scholarly training appropriately scrutinized books of quotations and bibliographies since their contents. Due to the increasing use of Wikipedia as a source of information, Cronon reveals that contributing or modifying data in Wikipedia does not need a PhD in the subject. The argument of Cronon in his text proves that online Wikipedia should not be used as a scholarly reference. Incorrect information which may be attained through retrieving or seeking Wikipedia is primarily eased by the aptitude of all the people to alter or enter information in the Wikipedia regardless of their educational levels. Consequently, this infers that using online Wikipedia as an information reference may consequence in the acquisition of wrong information due to the absence of the professional scholars expressly to scrutinize the entries which are made to Wikipedia.
The text “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” by Carr claims that the malleability of the humans’ brain is likened to the plastic. Therefore, implying that the brain functions changes following the information deployed by the neurons. Carr further argues that the augmented use of technology has been helpful to individuals. He emphasizes that the occurrence of the internet as initiated faster processing of the information immediately since most of the users tend to value imminence. Additionally, Carr clarifies that the existence of the internet, which enables people to use many search engines counting google, has initiated the increase in stupidity among the individuals. For example, Carr states that Scarp Karp, one of his colleagues, was a fictional chief on the institution, whereby he used to be an avid book reader. Conversely, an influx of the internet initiated Karp to begin skimming articles online since Karp might no longer read l (Carr and Nicholas 89-94). The presence of the internet has eased the inability of the Karp to pay attention besides absorbing long texts as he used to do. Thus, implying that google has subjected people to stupidity. On the other hand, from the arguments of e the Carr that Google aids in faster acquisition of the information is contrary to the view of the internet, making people stupid. Therefore, this is manifested that distinct ways in which people use the internet make them either foolish or wise. Since proper use often google aids in the faster and easier acquisition of useful information, whereas the continued use of the internet to acquire specific reading information may lead to stupidity due to skimming.
Works Cited
Rodgers, Johannah. Technology: A Reader for Writers. Oxford University Press, 2014.
Cronon, William. “Scholarly authority in a Wikified World.” Perspectives in History (2012).
Carr, Nicholas. “Is Google making us stupid?” Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education 107.2 (2008): 89-94.
Shirky, Clay. “Does the internet make you smarter?” Wall Street Journal 4.6 (2010).