Did Pencils Make Us Dumber?Masnick is responding to many critics--including Nick Carr of the Atlantic--who have claimed that Facebook, Google, and Twitter (among others) are demolishing Americans' attention spans or making them dumber. In his opinion, it just boils down to resistance to change:
For all the cries of "but this time, it's different," it's the same exact story we've seen pretty much throughout history. The technology makes it easier to communicate, and those who benefited from the older restrictions get most afraid of what the new technologies allow. Often, it just seems to be a fear that there will be more competition and more innovation, and the old-timers are afraid they're not equipped or able to keep up.Is he right?
Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at bcarlson at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.
User Comments
Please type your comment and click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be prompted to log in or register