Stoopid vs. Google

Is Google making us stupid? Answer: No. In fact, this search engine give us the opportunity to search infinitely for information regarding anything, with just a few simple clicks of a keyboard.

Is Google making us lazy and giving us ADD? Answer: yes. For example, you turn on your computer, open a web browser for Google. You have a song stuck in your head that you simply cannot remember the name of. “The lyrics are something like, “Not one more word tonight”… and then you can’t remember the rest. The melody is echoing through your ears and you have this unquenchable thirst for knowing what song has been invading your brain space all morning. You type in the lyrics and instantly are connected with the tune that has been hiding inside you. The name of the song, Sink Florida Sink, by the band: Against Me. Hundreds of web pages open at your fingertips and you begin searching, reading, listening and before you have the ability to listen to the second verse of the song you have already purchased two albums, bought concert tickets and downloaded three different versions of Sink Florida Sink on your iPod. I sure hope you don’t regret your recent purchases.

People joke about our generations’ lack of attention span, but it’s true. The second we see something shiny, our attention shifts from one thing to another in a spectrum of polar opposites. You’re sitting at your computer, reading an article for class. It could be something your passionate about. Say your reading about a new pilot for a cop drama due out sometime this winter on NBC. You love the cast, the dramatics, and the controversial topics that are going to be part of this program. You are reading this article and you cannot help yourself from thinking about something totally different. Read a paragraph, close the window, open your face book account, make some stupid status update about how “bored to death” you are on a Saturday afternoon. Suddenly three hours have past and you’ve forgotten the measly paragraph in the article you were so eager to read.

Is Google making us stupid? No. We do more reading on a daily basis now than our society has ever before. Is what we are reading deep? Full of composure? Meaningful? No, mostly it’s a series of text messages all pertaining to what we’re doing this weekend and who is driving. So when you try to blame technology for our ever growing ADD and stupidity, step back, take a long look in the mirror, and thank yourself for paying more attention to reality television than America’s deficit.