idk google it
Imagine​ ​being​ ​told​ ​that​ ​every​ ​time​ ​you​ ​search​ ​something​ ​up​ ​on​ ​Google​ ​your​ ​brain​ ​is 
changing.​ ​Well​ ​that​ ​is​ ​exactly​ ​what​ ​Nicholas​ ​Carr​ ​argues​ ​in​ ​his​ ​article​ ​“​ ​Is​ ​Google​ ​Making​ ​Us 
Stupid.”​ ​Carr​ ​begins​ ​the​ ​article​ ​by​ ​referencing​ ​a​ ​movie​ ​scene​ ​in​ ​The​ ​Space​ ​Odyssey​ ​in​ ​which​ ​a 
supercomputer​ ​is​ ​begging​ ​the​ ​astronaut​ ​to​ ​stop​ ​disconnecting​ ​its​ ​memory​ ​circuits​ ​because​ ​the machine​ ​can​ ​feel​ ​its​ ​memory​ ​fading.​ ​Carr​ ​states​ ​that​ ​he​ ​is​ ​not​ ​necessarily​ ​losing​ ​his​ ​mind​ ​like​ ​the supercomputer​ ​but​ ​rather​ ​noticing​ ​a​ ​change.​ ​Carr​ ​himself​ ​writes​ ​“​ ​My​ ​mind​ ​isn’t​ ​going​ ​but​ ​it​ ​is 
changing”​ ​(313).​ ​He​ ​noticed​ ​the​ ​change​ ​after​ ​his​ ​use​ ​of​ ​the​ ​internet​ ​increased.​ ​He​ ​continues​ ​to explain​ ​that​ ​he​ ​is​ ​no​ ​longer​ ​able​ ​to​ ​“immerse”​ ​himself​ ​in​ ​a​ ​lengthy​ ​book​ ​like​ ​he​ ​used​ ​to​ ​before. He​ ​seems​ ​to​ ​have​ ​trouble​ ​staying​ ​focused​ ​on​ ​articles​ ​after​ ​the​ ​first​ ​few​ ​pages.​ ​Carr​ ​goes​ ​on​ ​to explain​ ​that​ ​he​ ​is​ ​not​ ​the​ ​only​ ​one​ ​who​ ​has​ ​noticed​ ​this​ ​issue.​ ​Many​ ​of​ ​his​ ​colleagues​ ​have experienced​ ​the​ ​same​ ​trouble​ ​he​ ​has​ ​when​ ​reading.​ ​They​ ​seem​ ​to​ ​have​ ​more​ ​trouble​ ​reading longer​ ​pieces​ ​of​ ​writing​ ​as​ ​they​ ​spend​ ​more​ ​time​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Internet.​ ​A​ ​blogger,​ ​who​ ​majored​ ​in Literature,​ ​admitted​ ​that​ ​he​ ​has​ ​stopped​ ​reading​ ​altogether.​ ​Carr,​ ​along​ ​with​ ​his​ ​colleagues​ ​blame their​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​concentration​ ​on​ ​their​ ​frequent​ ​use​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Internet. 
Although​ ​Carr​ ​includes​ ​different​ ​anecdotes,​ ​he​ ​is​ ​aware​ ​that​ ​they​ ​do​ ​not​ ​necessarily​ ​prove anything.​ ​Which​ ​is​ ​why​ ​he​ ​proceeds​ ​to​ ​include​ ​research​ ​that​ ​further​ ​supports​ ​his​ ​claim.​ ​Scholars from​ ​University​ ​College​ ​London​ ​have​ ​recently​ ​discovered​ ​that​ ​​ ​many​ ​people​ ​tend​ ​to​ ​bounce from​ ​website​ ​to​ ​website​ ​after​ ​skimming​ ​through​ ​the​ ​first​ ​two​ ​pages.​ ​The​ ​research​ ​leads​ ​them​ ​to believe​ ​that​ ​“we​ ​may​ ​well​ ​be​ ​in​ ​the​ ​midst​ ​of​ ​a​ ​sea​ ​change​ ​in​ ​the​ ​way​ ​we​ ​read​ ​and​ ​think”(Carr 316).  
brain
In​ ​order​ ​to​ ​further​ ​support​ ​his​ ​point​ ​Carr​ ​includes​ ​what​ ​the​ ​professor​ ​of​ ​neuroscience​ ​at​ ​George Mason​ ​University,​ ​James​ ​Olds,​ ​has​ ​to​ ​say​ ​about​ ​the​ ​human​ ​brain.​ ​The​ ​professor​ ​states​ ​that,​ ​“The brain​ ​has​ ​the​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​reprogram​ ​itself​ ​​ ​on​ ​the​ ​fly,​ ​altering​ ​its​ ​functions”​ ​(Carr​ ​319).​ ​Clearly​ ​the quote​ ​supports​ ​Carr’s​ ​idea​ ​that​ ​his​ ​brain​ ​has​ ​changed​ ​over​ ​the​ ​years.​ ​Carr​ ​makes​ ​sure​ ​to emphasize​ ​that​ ​the​ ​human​ ​brain​ ​is”plastic.”​ ​In​ ​order​ ​to​ ​do​ ​so​ ​he​ ​includes​ ​various​ ​examples​ ​and research,​ ​he​ ​insists​ ​that​ ​the​ ​human​ ​brain​ ​can​ ​easily​ ​change.​ ​Even​ ​though​ ​he​ ​states​ ​that​ ​the 
Internet​ ​has​ ​been​ ​beneficial​ ​by​ ​facilitating​ ​the​ ​task​ ​of​ ​looking​ ​for​ ​research,​ ​he​ ​believes​ ​that​ ​it comes​ ​at​ ​a​ ​price.​ ​In​ ​this​ ​case​ ​the​ ​price​ ​would​ ​be​ ​the​ ​change​ ​in​ ​the​ ​way​ ​we​ ​read​ ​and​ ​think. 
​ ​In​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​the​ ​research​ ​he​ ​has​ ​mentioned,​ ​he​ ​uses​ ​what​ ​Maryanne​ ​Wolf,​ ​a 
developmental​ ​psychologist,​ ​has​ ​to​ ​say.​ ​In​ ​short,​ ​Wolf​ ​explains​ ​that​ ​experiments​ ​have​ ​shown​ ​that those​ ​who​ ​learn​ ​how​ ​to​ ​read​ ​ideograms​ ​have​ ​a​ ​different​ ​mental​ ​circuit​ ​than​ ​those​ ​who​ ​learn​ ​how to​ ​read​ ​in​ ​a​ ​language​ ​that​ ​utilize​ ​an​ ​alphabet.​ ​Therefore​ ​it​ ​can​ ​be​ ​assumed​ ​that​ ​those​ ​who​ ​read online​ ​will​ ​have​ ​a​ ​different​ ​mental​ ​circuit​ ​than​ ​those​ ​who​ ​read​ ​books​ ​or​ ​any​ ​type​ ​of​ ​print. 
Overall,​ ​Carr​ ​states​ ​that​ ​the​ ​Internet​ ​has​ ​in​ ​someway​ ​or​ ​form​ ​altered​ ​his​ ​brain​ ​and​ ​provides highly​ ​supportive​ ​evidence.  
I​ ​agree​ ​that​ ​the​ ​internet​ ​has​ ​changed​ ​the​ ​way​ ​people​ ​are​ ​thinking​ ​and​ ​reading because​ ​my​ ​experience​ ​at​ ​my​ ​high​ ​school​ ​proves​ ​it.​ ​Personally,​ ​I​ ​believe​ ​all​ ​the​ ​anecdotes​ ​he included​ ​in​ ​the​ ​article​ ​because​ ​I​ ​have​ ​also​ ​noticed​ ​a​ ​change​ ​in​ ​my​ ​brain,​ ​specifically​ ​in​ ​the​ ​way​ ​I think​ ​and​ ​read. 
​
For​ ​example,​ ​when​ ​I​ ​read​ ​the​ ​“Is​ ​Google​ ​Making​ ​Us​ ​Stupid”​ ​article​ ​for​ ​the​ ​first​ ​time​ ​I 
just​ ​skimmed​ ​through​ ​it.​ ​And​ ​even​ ​though​ ​I​ ​was​ ​just​ ​simply​ ​skimming​ ​through​ ​it​ ​I​ ​had​ ​trouble staying​ ​focused​ ​halfway​ ​through​ ​it.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​not​ ​the​ ​first​ ​time​ ​this​ ​has​ ​happened.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​past​ ​I​ ​have tried​ ​to​ ​read​ ​news​ ​articles​ ​about​ ​topics​ ​that​ ​interest​ ​me​ ​yet​ ​I​ ​still​ ​had​ ​trouble​ ​concentrating​ ​on 
what​ ​I​ ​was​ ​reading.​ ​At​ ​first,​ ​I​ ​did​ ​not​ ​give​ ​it​ ​much​ ​thought​ ​because​ ​growing​ ​up​ ​I​ ​was​ ​not​ ​a​ ​big fan​ ​of​ ​reading​ ​but​ ​as​ ​my​ ​use​ ​of​ ​the​ ​internet​ ​increased​ ​at​ ​school​ ​and​ ​at​ ​home​ ​I​ ​noticed​ ​that​ ​I would​ ​read​ ​differently.​ ​When​ ​reading​ ​an​ ​article​ ​that​ ​was​ ​assigned​ ​I​ ​would​ ​just​ ​skim​ ​through​ ​it and​ ​the​ ​only​ ​reason​ ​I​ ​would​ ​finish​ ​it​ ​was​ ​because​ ​it​ ​was​ ​not​ ​longer​ ​than​ ​five​ ​pages.​ ​Not​ ​only​ ​did I​ ​notice​ ​a​ ​change​ ​when​ ​I​ ​was​ ​reading,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​when​ ​I​ ​would​ ​search​ ​up​ ​questions​ ​on​ ​a​ ​study 
guide.​ ​Instead​ ​of​ ​going​ ​back​ ​and​ ​looking​ ​for​ ​the​ ​answer​ ​in​ ​my​ ​handwritten​ ​notes,​ ​I​ ​would​ ​simply type​ ​the​ ​question​ ​in​ ​on​ ​Google​ ​and​ ​instantly​ ​the​ ​answer​ ​would​ ​appear.​ ​I​ ​would​ ​click​ ​on​ ​the website​ ​that​ ​I​ ​knew​ ​had​ ​the​ ​least​ ​amount​ ​of​ ​words​ ​but​ ​had​ ​the​ ​right​ ​answer.​ ​And​ ​it​ ​was​ ​not​ ​just me​ ​who​ ​would​ ​do​ ​it,​ ​it​ ​would​ ​be​ ​all​ ​my​ ​classmates​ ​including​ ​the​ ​smartest​ ​students.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​like​ ​if we​ ​were​ ​inventing​ ​this​ ​new​ ​way​ ​of​ ​reading.​ ​A​ ​way​ ​in​ ​which​ ​we​ ​did​ ​not​ ​fully​ ​immerse​ ​ourselves 
in​ ​the​ ​reading​ ​as​ ​Carr​ ​puts​ ​it.​ ​Carr​ ​makes​ ​a​ ​great​ ​point​ ​when​ ​he​ ​says,​ ​“​ ​The​ ​advantages​ ​of​ ​having immediate​ ​access​ ​to​ ​such​ ​an​ ​incredibly​ ​rich​ ​store​ ​of​ ​information​ ​are​ ​many​ ​[…]​ ​but​ ​that​ ​boon comes​ ​at​ ​a​ ​price”(315).​ ​Is​ ​being​ ​able​ ​to​ ​make​ ​any​ ​information​ ​we​ ​want​ ​or​ ​need​ ​in​ ​a​ ​matter​ ​of seconds​ ​worth​ ​the​ ​price​ ​of​ ​us​ ​not​ ​being​ ​able​ ​to​ ​think​ ​or​ ​read​ ​as​ ​good​ ​as​ ​those​ ​before​ ​us?​ ​I​ ​believe it​ ​is​ ​not.​ ​We​ ​need​ ​our​ ​brains​ ​to​ ​change​ ​in​ ​a​ ​positive​ ​way​ ​not​ ​in​ ​a​ ​way​ ​where​ ​it​ ​is​ ​not​ ​able​ ​to critically​ ​think.​ ​​ ​Sure​ ​we​ ​don’t​ ​have​ ​to​ ​spend​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​day​ ​at​ ​the​ ​library​ ​to​ ​find​ ​that​ ​one​ ​thing we​ ​need​ ​but​ ​if​ ​we​ ​did​ ​we​ ​would​ ​learn​ ​so​ ​much​ ​more.​ ​Our​ ​knowledge​ ​would​ ​increase​ ​and​ ​it would​ ​do​ ​nothing​ ​but​ ​benefit​ ​us.​ ​So​ ​in​ ​my​ ​opinion,​ ​I​ ​do​ ​think​ ​Google​ ​is​ ​making​ ​is​ ​stupid​ ​slowly, but​ ​it​ ​is.​ ​There​ ​isn’t​ ​research​ ​that​ ​can​ ​prove​ ​it​ ​just​ ​yet​ ​but​ ​when​ ​it​ ​does​ ​I​ ​will​ ​not​ ​be​ ​surprised.  
Because​ ​I​ ​completely​ ​agree​ ​that​ ​the​ ​internet​ ​is​ ​changing​ ​our​ ​minds,​ ​I​ ​believe​ ​it​ ​has​ ​done more​ ​harm​ ​than​ ​good.​ ​Sure​ ​we​ ​can​ ​communicate​ ​with​ ​distant​ ​family​ ​members​ ​and​ ​search​ ​things up​ ​faster​ ​but​ ​that​ ​doesn’t​ ​make​ ​up​ ​for​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​it​ ​is​ ​easier​ ​now​ ​to​ ​get​ ​stalked​ ​or​ ​even kidnapped.​ ​Social​ ​media,​ ​what​ ​most​ ​people​ ​use​ ​daily,​ ​makes​ ​it​ ​so​ ​much​ ​easier​ ​for​ ​someone​ ​with bad​ ​intentions​ ​to​ ​stalk​ ​a​ ​person​ ​who​ ​is​ ​simply​ ​just​ ​tweeting​ ​what​ ​they​ ​ate​ ​for​ ​dinner​ ​today​ ​or their​ ​thoughts​ ​on​ ​a​ ​topic.​ ​Now​ ​not​ ​only​ ​is​ ​the​ ​internet​ ​preventing​ ​us​ ​from​ ​being​ ​able​ ​to​ ​read​ ​more than​ ​two​ ​pages​ ​of​ ​an​ ​article,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​also​ ​potentially​ ​putting​ ​our​ ​lives​ ​in​ ​danger.​ ​Internet​ ​users​ ​need to​ ​be​ ​more​ ​cautious​ ​when​ ​they​ ​are​ ​online​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​prevent​ ​not​ ​being​ ​able​ ​to​ ​finish​ ​a​ ​book​ ​and getting​ ​kidnapped. 
man on computer stalking
There​ ​are​ ​a​ ​number​ ​of​ ​wicked​ ​things​ ​are​ ​that​ ​being​ ​done​ ​through​ ​the​ ​internet.​ ​Human trafficking​ ​for​ ​example,​ ​has​ ​increased​ ​mainly​ ​because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​internet.​ ​The​ ​internet​ ​has​ ​facilitated the​ ​way​ ​in​ ​which​ ​human​ ​traffickers​ ​approach​ ​and​ ​sell​ ​both​ ​women​ ​and​ ​children​ ​(Reasons​ ​for​ ​the Growing​ ​Epidemic).​ ​Due​ ​to​ ​these​ ​very​ ​reasons​ ​it​ ​is​ ​vital​ ​that​ ​we​ ​minimize​ ​our​ ​time​ ​on​ ​the internet.​ ​Instead​ ​we​ ​should​ ​put​ ​down​ ​the​ ​computer​ ​and​ ​pick​ ​up​ ​a​ ​book,​ ​one​ ​that​ ​will​ ​get​ ​your mind​ ​to​ ​do​ ​some​ ​critical​ ​thinking.
 Works​ ​Cited  
Carr,​ ​Nicholas.​ ​“Is​ ​Google​ ​Making​ ​Us​ ​Stupid.”​ ​They​ ​Say,​ ​I​ ​Say​ ​3rd​ ​edition,​ ​edited​ ​by 
Gerald​ ​Graff,​ ​Cathy​ ​Birkenstein,​ ​Russel​ ​Durst,​ ​Norton,​ ​W.W​ ​&​ ​company,​ ​Inc.,​ ​2015,​ ​pp. 
313-328. 
 
“​ ​Reasons​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Growing​ ​Epidemic”​ ​​H.E.A.T​ ​Watch-​ ​Stop​ ​Human​ ​Exploi​tation​ ​and 
Trafficking.​ ​http://www.heatwatch.org/human_trafficking/reasons_for_the_growing_epidemic​ ​24 
June​ ​2017