The Precautious Side of Digital Technology - Essay Example

The Precautious side of digital technology Introduction Even though the internet has vast entertainment and social interactivity services that offer vast and convenient options for transactions and leisure, digital technology presents a great threat of exposing our siblings’ general mindset, thinking and consciousness to more dangers than it benefits them because internet addiction may result to low discernment, apprehension, and comprehension, it floods those who utilize the internet with vast ceaseless notifications, feeds, broadcasts, popping conversations, tweets and emails that often detour their awareness. The web also redesigns our brain meshwork and also dilutes the intrinsic upstanding nature of solid literature (such as books) and also the accompanying overall concentration range after the solid literature is uploaded online. First, digital technology presents a great threat of exposing our children to more dangers than it benefits them because internet addiction may result to low discernment apprehension and comprehension. While Nicholas Carr asserts in The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains that the internet has conferred an advancement to socialism and online intermingling ( Carr 63) which has elevated the probabilities of coming up with wider alliances and associations than we could prior to embracing the digital world (Carr 67), Clive Thompson in Smarter than You Think: How Technology Is Changing Our Minds for the Better acknowledges that often both teenagers and the entire generation likewise are often cornered by the digital technologies (Thompson 12) and therefore we ought to take precautions to circumvent this menace (Thompson 14). While the two authors contradict over the main impact the internet has on our thinking, they both have a unified standpoint that the internet has empowered our current generation to explore socialism and outreach vast friendship. Weighing the assertions of the two authors, I would, therefore, enlighten my close companion, Brian, to come up with an equilibrium (of online browsing and reviewing solid literature in form of books etc.) as he comes up with a master plan of initiating digital world to his siblings, offspring’s, and his entire household. I also consider a step by step approach to this initiation. This can be perfectly accomplished by first initiating solid literature reading and book reviews to both toddlers, teenagers and all the involved parties alike. They can at first merge into book world so as grasp the deepening consciousness and awareness (Carr 160) and then broaden this comprehension by delving into the digital technologies. Additionally, the digital technologies flood those who utilize the internet with vast ceaseless notifications, feeds, broadcasts, popping conversations, tweets and emails which often detour their awareness, and apprehension. While Nicholas Carr affirms that this results to shallow retention and understanding on any subject we seem to be checking online (167), Clive Thompson asserts that the digital technologies blended with the internet has amplified and intensified our brainpower and discernment (Thompson 45), Thompson asserts too that the utilization of technological tools and interactive sites has enhanced rebirths of integrative innovations (Thompson 168) coupled with awareness and apprehension of daily occurrences around the globe as the demand of accomplishing elementary memory duties degenerates (Thompson 168). While Nicholas Carr and Clive Thompson strongly differ over the impacts the contemporaneous digital devices and the internet on our levels of information retention, assimilation, and interpretations, they both seem to concur that the contemporary mankind generation has had various impacts from the much-embraced technologies. Although Nicholas Carr says that the internet has much altered our “deep reading aspects”, in this thesis discourse I prefer settling for Clive Thompsons consciousness mushrooming abstraction to proclaim that consciousness and general awareness of individuals actively involved in online social interactivity tend to be extremely innovative, creative, radical and ground-breaking compared to those who spend their days in other hobbies. Weighing the assertions of the two authors, I would, therefore, enlighten my close companion, Brian, to come up with distinct measures of exposing his siblings, offspring’s and his entire household to online applications, sites and feeds which has a chief objective of elevating the general Intelligence Quotient. This may involve complex online puzzles (such as Sudoku) and mobile games or applications which demand critical thinking, evaluation, and integration. Brian can also consider suggesting both oral queries and composite crosswords which demand comprehension, analysis, and interpretation. Brian can also set a pace in this approach by ensuring that when these recommendations are being implemented, all digital devices that may distract or hinder full comprehension are switched off. This may include turning off the television, radios, or even personal mobile phone gadgets. Any computerized device may also be switched off. If the material being tackled is on the web (i.e. a computer game, the Sudoku puzzles etc.) the participants may consider turning off the internet of changing the computer settings owing to hinder any unanticipated feeds, conversations or advertisements which may impart distractions during the learning process. Also, the digital technologies redesign our brain meshwork. While Nicholas Carr affirms that our brains conform to and or remodel in retaliation to the expressed or experienced circumstances or occurrences (Carr 164) and goes further as to expounds that this is as a result of neuronal network detour from the normal neurological calibrations (Carr 167) Clive Thompson retaliates to this assertion affirming that it may be too prompt and premature to conclude explicitly that the contemporaneous digital technologies impact our neuronal networks in a detrimental approach (Thompson 199). In addition, while Carr maintains that online sites (and specifically the Google) has a direct influence in rewiring the general brain neuronal networks, Clive Thompson circumvents on this subject matter and contradictory to this assertion proclaims that the contemporaneous digital technological tools blended with social interactive websites (Thompson 127) have a unified objective of spearheading (Thompson 168) and upgrading our general lives (Thompson 169) in a similar manner that the writing, printing, and the telephone approach was as well (Thompson 177). While the two authors differ in the outcomes of the digital world on neurology, they both concur over profound solid matter over the chief contribution of the digital technologies in assisting the contemporaneous generation (Carr 167), (Thompson 178), in instigating, reviving and maintaining social alliances (Carr 164), (Thompson 179) not only with our colleagues, peers and intimate pals on tweeter, Instagram and Facebook, but also to the entire globe surrounding us (Thompson 144) in our quest to seek wisdom and enlightenment concerning it (Thompson 177). Although Clive Thompson maintains that the internet users have an edge over non-users concerning their general innovative nature awareness elevation (Thompson 167), in this thesis discourse I prefer settling for Nicholas Carrs’ precautionary abstraction that our brains through analysis has been found to have plasticity retention (Carr 168) and hence can always be remodelled for better or for worse (Carr 169). Weighing the assertions of the two authors, I would, therefore, enlighten my close companion, Brian, to consider restricting the kids and teenagers from using digital technologies until they are over eighteen years. This assertion is made following Nicholas Carrs’ neurological analysis which proves that ceaseless utilization of the internet may lead to addiction (Carr 107). Also, considering the subject matter that the kids and teenagers brain is undergoing constant growth and development, brain plasticity may be inevitable, just as Carr asserts (Carr 108). In addition, the contemporaneous digital technology dilutes the intrinsic upstanding nature of solid literature (such as books) and also the accompanying overall concentration range which results from careful analysis, instantaneously after a solid literature is uploaded online. Nicholas Carr asserts that the overall comprehension of the online internet users is always exposed to wallowing flimsy and superficial “bits of statistics” (or information) which often draws more attention making it almost impossible for online uses to maintain unwavering and undeviating attention to any online, uploaded text. Nicholas Carr affirms that a printed solid text (a book in this case) has a magnetic aspect of drawing our awareness and attention, enhancing “deep and innovative thought” (Carr 107), an aspect which is withdrawn when the same solid text is uploaded online. Nicholas Carr observes from his neurologic analysis that we are transforming and remodeling ourselves to mirror to the authentic nature of the internet. He expounds this by proclaiming that we are gradually becoming splendid and excellent in skimming the web not realizing that we are degenerating our ability to withhold fixed and unwavering contemplation (Carr 127). Nicholas Carr affirms that when we launch online search seeking a certain text or journal to focus on owing to draw key data from it, our brain ends up overwhelmed in a bid to select the exact sources or subjects to focus on. Weighing the assertions of Nicholas Carr, I would, therefore, enlighten my close companion Brian to consider purchasing solid textbooks for the kids rather than risk allowing them meander online at the mercy of unmeaningful junk and incessant adverts. Also, Brian can also consider guiding the kids through online search and entire online reading process (if online reading is termed necessary). Conclusion Indeed, while the internet has vast entertainment and social interactivity services which offer vast and convenient options for networking and leisure, digital technology presents a great threat of exposing our children to more dangers than it benefits them and therefore we ought to take strict measures to ensure our kids and teenagers are guided through their online adventures. References Carr, Nicholas G. The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. Print. Thompson, Clive. Smarter Than You Think: How Technology Is Changing Our Minds for the Better. , 2013. Print. Read More