Technology can be a blessing, but like anything new to a society, individuals fight against it. With the rise of the telephone, people believed that it would harm interpersonal relationships by encouraging individuals to never leave their home. With the rise of the internet, people believe (and still do) that it makes the younger generations receptacle to a dangerous environment filled with bad people. Regardless of the accusation agaisnt the technology, fragments of truth arise from their concerns. Socrates, the Ancient Greek Philosopher, fought against the integration of the alphabet into Greek society. He claimed that it would damage the oral traditions in Greece, and that readers would simply read words but not comprehend their meaning. Although people may view that as an extreme viewpoint, he was not wrong. Oral traditions tend to dissolve in cultures after a written language is integrated and seen as commonplace. No matter the fears that come with new technology, they have lasting impacts on members of that society.

In the article “Is Google Making Us Stupid” by Nicholas Carr, he talked about how technologies change the way in which we think and interact. For instance, with the high use of Google’s search engine, people have information at their fingertips. Instead of probing around through libraries, references, and talking with experts, people now can simply look up information with a few buttons. We now live in a world of information, and that changes how we interact with it. Mr. Carr gave an example of how he is no longer able to concentrate on reading a long document. This is primarily due to the instant access to information that we have, and everything that is out there is presented in a way to lessen the amount of time needed. We are barraged with information that is easily digestible and accessible to many. News stories are presented in quick paragraphs which give you all the highlights you need without the excess filer.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say Google is making us stupid, or anything other technology for that matter. But, it is changing the way in which we interact with information.