Essay 1
Is Google MAKING Us Stupid by Nicholas Carr
The idea that intrigued me most is the fact that modern day society is getting overly dependent on the internet, and hardcopy reading culture is slowly dying. Gone are the days when people could visit libraries to read or conduct research. Today, people comfortably do that from behind their desktops in the comfort of their homes. A lot of information is easily made available, and it helps people to have “immediate access to such an incredibly rich store of information” according to Carr.
What I have learned from this article is that traditional cultures are slowly dying as people get more acquainted with modern technology and the possibility it places within their reach. In fact, the changes that have come with modern technology and more especially the over dependence on the use of the internet is affirming my perception of popular culture.
Gone are the days when families used to meet up for celebrations or even pay each other visits to great each other. Today, relatives and friends are a phone call away and there is no point of meeting up with each other anymore. Families are growing distant by the day, and many will find themselves isolated and lonely. Through this article, I get to understand the alienations that people are experiencing from ancient cultures.
Essay 2
Meet your iBrain by Gary Small and Gigi Vorgan
According to this essay, high-speed technology is influencing the way the brain work and functions. Apparently, the way in which the brain neurotransmitters of the younger generation function is different from the way from people who have had little or no exposure to computers, smart phones and the internet. The most interesting idea I got from this essay is that intrigued me most is the fact that people have been rendered impartial attention whereby their minds are divided over several things at the same time.
The most important lesson I learned from the essay is the fact that while people are busy trying to be updated on developments around them all the time, they are likely to lose out on a lot because of lack of concentration may lead to not understanding or encoding important aspects of life. As people continue multitasking, they will end up not having clear purposes for doing what they set out to do because they do not have priorities.
These days many people find themselves doing several tasks at the same time, and they end up not getting facts straight or understanding what is expected of them always. For instance, if a student sits in class and is glued to the internet on their phones, there are very high chances that they will not understand everything that is being taught in class even if they seem to be listening attentively. That may, in the end, affect their performance and latter life after college.
Essay 3
The Roar of the Crowd by David P. Barash
Sports is a fun activity that keeps one busy but then it is the spirit, determinism and perseverance of spectators that makes it more fun. There is one idea that is very fascinating from this essay, and it is the fact that sports worship that makes these activities seem like a religion and not even fun activity. It is intriguing that a hockey match can be cancelled in Canada and yet supporters of the game fill up stadiums to show their allegiance and love for the game. It then becomes more of a prison that a mere game.
One lesson I have learned here is that fans of different games become so addicted to their sport so much so that their allegiance is considered more than a disease or even madness. It is not surprising that English Premier League fans of teams that lose in the championships take things a little too personal and end up killing themselves. Games are no longer passive activities that fans just sit back and watch but rather activities that might cost people their lives.
Essay 4
Life on the Edge by William Dowell et al. (Time Magazine)
It is amazing that Americans are going out of their ways to try and experiment on dangerous sporting activities that might cost them their lives. It is funny though those traditionally enjoyable sports are not preferred because the tastes and preferences of most people have changed. Today, it is a lot more comfortable to “leap into the void- may be a perfect fit for our times” (Dowell et al. 1999). Or desire for fame could be their driving force.
There are those who are engaging or exposing themselves to far riskier ventures now more than ever. Some years back, people could not just walk in the hands of strangers because it was deemed not right. But today, people meet each other in the cyberspace, exchange contacts and walk into deadly traps because they risk their lives in pursuit of an unforeseen happy life. It turns out that they walk into the arms of murders without them knowing.
Gone are the days when people led much more simple lives, engaged in community sporting activities like baseball, water surfing, skiing or even watching football games. People are more concerned about fame and end up risking their lives because of something they may have avoided in the first place.
References
Barash, D. P. The Roar of the Crowd. PDF File
Carr, N. Is Google Making Us Stupid? PDF File
Dowell, W. et al. Life on the Edge. PDF File
Small, G. & Vorgan, G. Meet your iBrain. PDF File
