thoughts about things

Are Digital Devices Like iPads Rotting Our Brains? - Newsweek.com

I think he’s actually very right. It’s silly and unfortunate that in order to get attention and page-views (and no doubt to justify his job as a tech editor) he blames it on “the devices”… but the core argument he is making is hard to rebut. I think we are, as a society, getting dumber and less capable of real thinking. We don’t contemplate, we skim. We don’t create, we recycle.

I assume (probably somewhat unfairly) that anyone under 30 will laugh at this idea. But trust me folks, when you get into your 30’s and maybe have a kid or two, and get past the days when you think that everything new is going to make your life awesome, you start to realize slowly, but surely, that life is a hell of a lot more than pixels.

(via bendelaney)

More that assuming unfairly, you’d be assuming incorrectly in my case, as I’m 27 and agree with your sentiment, and I’m sure a whole lot more people under 30 do too. :)

I mean, there are walks of life that come from both sides of the story, through all age ranges, aren’t there.

There are those who are 50 who still get their superficial, short-lived jollies out of buying a new HD plasma screen. Then there’s the 17-year-old who’s consciousness is more elevated who knows instinctively that relationships, self-worth, internal happiness and ‘real’ experiences are where life is at.

Everyone comes to this sort of realisation in their own time, in their own way, through their own experiences. Unless they don’t.

So as you suspected, you were right to question your assumption. :)

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I agree in part with Dan Lyon’s point that “we are being so overwhelmed by the noise and junk zooming past us that we’re becoming immune to it” and all the rest of it, but I think it’s important to be aware that there are also others that aren’t in this majority. They may not be your next-door neighbour, but they do exist. :)

I think it’s certainly one of the great challenges for the human race, currently, along with war and inequality/starvation, etc. Those who are fortunate enough to have enough to survive well, and survive well with a pile of shiny toys surrounding them, are finding themselves suckered into a gaze of social networks, meaningless games and mindless TV.

I mean, I count myself as having one foot in, and one foot out of the camp, as here I am, flicking through Tumblr for a bit of short-lived external stimulation/happiness, and yet here I am, being engaged in thought and using this evil tool (aka the Internet) to have this conversation with someone from the other side of the world. 

I’ve also got Tweetie open, hoping to read something that will make me laugh, be inspired and feel alive - albeit for a brief moment. But then a part of me reminds the other part, “Hey - turn that shit off - you’re more than a brain in a jar connected to the Net, readily absorbing whatever distracting shiny thing comes your way”.

I’m continually on a see-saw of falling into the mindless haze of the passive Internet and doing something meaningful in my life.

In fact something I find has been really useful in keeping me from becoming one of the mindless enslaved masses ad infinitum is a little quote Merlin Mann blogged one day. I have it on my wall need to put in back up on my new wall near my desk/laptop. It reminds me to keep on task and stops my ego being pulled into the mindless vortex of endless lol-cats. :)

And as for you, Obama - “guns don’t kill people”. But let’s help each other to use the tools we make, for good. Or not at all, perhaps! Bit of kumbaya around a camp fire, anyone?