How the Internet Changes Our Thoughts and Behaviors for the Worse (2011)(theemotionmachine.com)
theemotionmachine.com
How the Internet Changes Our Thoughts and Behaviors for the Worse (2011)
http://www.theemotionmachine.com/the-dark-sides-of-our-digital-self
47 comments
It seems Dr. Aboujaoude has a pretty low opinion of people's ability to choose for themselves what they want. The gripes about incorrect capitalization seem particularly petty. There seems to be little consideration given to the fulfillment people get from exploring alternate versions of their personality. Basically, it seems like he doesn't like the internet and then sets about justifying his position.
He doesn't seem to like much technology that's newer than television, from all I can see. Too, the direct link is to an outright puff piece. I'm really surprised this has survived on the front page as long as it has, or gotten so near the top.
The explanation for the latter is probably that people identify with the subject and want to discuss it anyway.
I am sure many jumped straight to the comments, as I did. I just want to hear what this community thinks about the topic.
I am sure many jumped straight to the comments, as I did. I just want to hear what this community thinks about the topic.
An interesting book on this topic: https://www.amazon.com/Shallows-What-Internet-Doing-Brains/d...
A review: Carr—author of The Big Switch (2007) and the much-discussed Atlantic Monthly story “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”—is an astute critic of the information technology revolution. Here he looks to neurological science to gauge the organic impact of computers, citing fascinating experiments that contrast the neural pathways built by reading books versus those forged by surfing the hypnotic Internet, where portals lead us on from one text, image, or video to another while we’re being bombarded by messages, alerts, and feeds. This glimmering realm of interruption and distraction impedes the sort of comprehension and retention “deep reading” engenders, Carr explains. And not only are we reconfiguring our brains, we are also forging a “new intellectual ethic,” an arresting observation Carr expands on while discussing Google’s gargantuan book digitization project.
A review: Carr—author of The Big Switch (2007) and the much-discussed Atlantic Monthly story “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”—is an astute critic of the information technology revolution. Here he looks to neurological science to gauge the organic impact of computers, citing fascinating experiments that contrast the neural pathways built by reading books versus those forged by surfing the hypnotic Internet, where portals lead us on from one text, image, or video to another while we’re being bombarded by messages, alerts, and feeds. This glimmering realm of interruption and distraction impedes the sort of comprehension and retention “deep reading” engenders, Carr explains. And not only are we reconfiguring our brains, we are also forging a “new intellectual ethic,” an arresting observation Carr expands on while discussing Google’s gargantuan book digitization project.
It's only a problem if you're actually bombarded with alerts and linkbait and refused to read anything smaller than one thousand words long.
It seems to me that the internet is turning us a bit into bumper cars. Everything just happens. We get a new tweet, then we open the phone, we retweet. A minute later, another notification from whatsapp comes in... From notification, to reward to action, we get stuck in that social loop.
We need to develop a more intentional relationship with our environment, friend and specially with ourselves.
We need to develop a more intentional relationship with our environment, friend and specially with ourselves.
That is exactly the mentality that allowed me to scrape back my concentration and productivity.
If I am to open my phone it has to be with intent. I need to be achieving something.
The idle twiddling of thumbs waiting for something to react to is what becomes a bad habbit, and drives the need to constantly check your phone even though nothing is happening on it.
If I am to open my phone it has to be with intent. I need to be achieving something.
The idle twiddling of thumbs waiting for something to react to is what becomes a bad habbit, and drives the need to constantly check your phone even though nothing is happening on it.
That probably sounds really dry, but the real benefit of ditching the phone habit was to gain back the ability to fully engage in games, movies, conversation, and even playing instruments. I was finding the short lived reward cycle was invading everything I did,to the point where I couldn't even sit down and learn a 2 minute song.
Couldn't agree more. It's like we are constantly driven by these little shocks that makes us forget the only reality, the present moment. As you say, taking the phone off and escaping from it allows us to become a bit more grounded and fully engage in the present moment. Hopefully those stretches of time get longer, but it is a lifetime journey
Agreed. Our attention is one of our most valuable resources. It makes sense to try and optimise how we use it.
It's more mobile phones than the Internet. I'm expecting a backlash.
> 79% of online readers scan, rather than read word-for-word. Often readers can’t be bothered to dig into text in order to find a piece of information or an answer to a problem.
Well didn't that make me feel like a shit as I scan read the article...
(Although in all seriousness I do reserve the right to be mildly interested in the overview of an article and not care about the details. I don't feel that is a flaw.)
Well didn't that make me feel like a shit as I scan read the article...
(Although in all seriousness I do reserve the right to be mildly interested in the overview of an article and not care about the details. I don't feel that is a flaw.)
I agree, there's too much noise out there anyway. With most articles you don't lose much by only quickly scanning it.
I was just talking about this broad subject last night.
It feels as if the interaction of people with the internet especially through phones is causing a ADHD of sorts.
It is affecting peoples ability to interact with one another. I try daily to strike up a conversation with people I encounter. Years ago, you could have a really great conversation. These days it seems increasingly difficult to find anyone interest in having a discussion about anything.
It feels as if the interaction of people with the internet especially through phones is causing a ADHD of sorts.
It is affecting peoples ability to interact with one another. I try daily to strike up a conversation with people I encounter. Years ago, you could have a really great conversation. These days it seems increasingly difficult to find anyone interest in having a discussion about anything.
Where I perceive a tendency to ADHD is in myself. I used to enjoy long in-depth journalism, now after a few paragraphs I get the urge to open another tab. I used to enjoy long plodding movies by Kubrick and Malick, now when I watch a 60 minute television drama I keep pausing it playing with my phone.
It's like my mean-time-till-context-switch has gotten shorter out of habit.
It's like my mean-time-till-context-switch has gotten shorter out of habit.
I feel similar - being used to the distraction of switching between multiple tabs while waiting for a page to load, while a video plays on the second monitor, scanning the feeds on my phone on breaks. I can't focus to read a book and a movie takes days to watch. But it's not the internet.
I used the internet for years without any attention-span decrease or distraction features. When it was gopher, telnet, IRC, email, and BBSes etc. running on a DOS PC with no multitasking. (OK, I cheated, I had a TSR that let me switch between up to 3 programs, but RAM was limited and you were only using one at a time.)
It's the combination of multitasking OSes, putting a lot more things on the screen(s), and ubiquitous pocket supercomputers. That's led us to a new standard way of living where we're always trying to do several things at once and expecting context switches every few seconds. That makes it hard to do anything deeply and fully, or focus on anything for a lengthy time; it feels unnatural.
I used the internet for years without any attention-span decrease or distraction features. When it was gopher, telnet, IRC, email, and BBSes etc. running on a DOS PC with no multitasking. (OK, I cheated, I had a TSR that let me switch between up to 3 programs, but RAM was limited and you were only using one at a time.)
It's the combination of multitasking OSes, putting a lot more things on the screen(s), and ubiquitous pocket supercomputers. That's led us to a new standard way of living where we're always trying to do several things at once and expecting context switches every few seconds. That makes it hard to do anything deeply and fully, or focus on anything for a lengthy time; it feels unnatural.
I've found the same situation, and it's why it's led me back to printed books (or e-books without wifi). Everything gets turned off, and I read.
Every time I do, I get that same urge to "open a tab", power up my phone, and start playing around.
Eventually the urge does go away, but I have to create a certain artificial environment for myself to force it to.
Every time I do, I get that same urge to "open a tab", power up my phone, and start playing around.
Eventually the urge does go away, but I have to create a certain artificial environment for myself to force it to.
After discovering the Column Reader Firefox extension i have found long form articles online much more readable.
It converts an article into screen height pages, much like reading a magazine article.
And i think way too many TV drams these days fail the "show don't tell" check. Meaning that you get two talking heads yapping at each other in a static shot more often than not.
It converts an article into screen height pages, much like reading a magazine article.
And i think way too many TV drams these days fail the "show don't tell" check. Meaning that you get two talking heads yapping at each other in a static shot more often than not.
Maybe you just became older. Movies, books, shows - to some extend its always the same stuff repeated over and over.
Same. I can't even watch a movie at home without having my phone out for the slow parts.
Where do you live? This must be regional. In the midwest US, people are still SUUUUPER willing to have an in-depth conversation with me about absolutely anything at all.
I can confirm this as true. I need to get out of this place.
I am over in CT about an our from NYC.
It's "regional" because the adoption of all this was slower out here - just like it would be in other parts of the world people didn't grow up glued to their phones / tv's etc..
Ever since I turned off notifications on my phone, I've been noticing this more and more.
The worst part is when my girlfriend (or anyone really) asks me a question, then starts staring at their phone before I even begin answering. I'd understand if I was boring and they didn't want to listen to me drone, but they don't even give me a chance to begin to be boring.
Maybe I'm just fundamentally boring. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The worst part is when my girlfriend (or anyone really) asks me a question, then starts staring at their phone before I even begin answering. I'd understand if I was boring and they didn't want to listen to me drone, but they don't even give me a chance to begin to be boring.
Maybe I'm just fundamentally boring. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The worst part is when my girlfriend (or anyone really) asks me a question, then starts staring at their phone before I even begin answering.
I'm starting to wonder if staring at your phone isn't just becoming the default. I'm currently consulting at a large multi-national company in the Seattle area. I almost took a picture as I was walking down the hallway and saw everyone one of the six people walking toward me while looking at their phones (no, the irony of pulling out my phone to take a picture of people using their phones is not lost on me). It's like I woke up in a fucking zombie movie. And it's not just that one incident, I dodge phone zombies in the hall on a daily basis. I watched one guy run into a support column while staring at his phone, hit it hard enough to kind of spin him around. He never even looked up.
Maybe it's just where I'm at, maybe it's this area of the country, or maybe it's everywhere, I don't know. I'm just starting to feel like Wesley Crusher in that ST:TNG episode with the head-worn video game the whole ship got sucked into.
I'm starting to wonder if staring at your phone isn't just becoming the default. I'm currently consulting at a large multi-national company in the Seattle area. I almost took a picture as I was walking down the hallway and saw everyone one of the six people walking toward me while looking at their phones (no, the irony of pulling out my phone to take a picture of people using their phones is not lost on me). It's like I woke up in a fucking zombie movie. And it's not just that one incident, I dodge phone zombies in the hall on a daily basis. I watched one guy run into a support column while staring at his phone, hit it hard enough to kind of spin him around. He never even looked up.
Maybe it's just where I'm at, maybe it's this area of the country, or maybe it's everywhere, I don't know. I'm just starting to feel like Wesley Crusher in that ST:TNG episode with the head-worn video game the whole ship got sucked into.
It's regional. I spent a few months in southern Spain last year. Here's a representative anecdote: Mixed group of fifteen people in their 30's out to a slow lunch on a Sunday. No one looks at their phone for an hour. Then I catch one woman peek at her phone under the table. After a few seconds her friend taps her arm and she puts the phone away for the remainder of the gathering.
My theory: American culture is individualistic and not heavily tradition based. This allows new tech, habits, rituals, and patterns of living to catch on quickly. This is both a good and a bad thing.
My theory: American culture is individualistic and not heavily tradition based. This allows new tech, habits, rituals, and patterns of living to catch on quickly. This is both a good and a bad thing.
US South here: A popular chain started putting to-go boxes on tables at lunch. If your whole table drops their phones in the box when you sit down, your table gets free dessert.
I've noticed just the presence of the game - even if my table doesn't play - greatly reduces screen time and habitual notification checks.
I've noticed just the presence of the game - even if my table doesn't play - greatly reduces screen time and habitual notification checks.
A variation of this game is for everyone at the table to stack their phones in a pile. The first one to pull his phone has to pay the bill.
Data point: in Brazil I'm perceiving just the same as what you're describing in America.
You just reminded me of this ZH article on the Zombification of Millennials I read the other day
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-06-21/zombification-ameri...
I am hoping there will be a luddite type revolt against this trend of phones.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-06-21/zombification-ameri...
I am hoping there will be a luddite type revolt against this trend of phones.
I've seen a few people hit lamp posts while staring at their phone already. Sometimes somebody that died by getting in front of a car while looking at the phone makes news here too.
And yep, I know people that would ask a person something, and resort to the phone before the other person starts to answer.
But most people I see are not staring at a phone. This may be regional variance.
And yep, I know people that would ask a person something, and resort to the phone before the other person starts to answer.
But most people I see are not staring at a phone. This may be regional variance.
I will never understand folks who die by texting while they're driving. I can't even pick mine up. My friends and family know full well that if they need to contact me, and I'm driving, they need to ring more than once which signals me to pull over and answer.
I'm terrified of losing track of the road around me. But maybe that's the difference; I'm not confident enough as a driver (despite having done it for 13 years now) to trust my autopilot while my brain checks out to hold some other conversation.
I'm terrified of losing track of the road around me. But maybe that's the difference; I'm not confident enough as a driver (despite having done it for 13 years now) to trust my autopilot while my brain checks out to hold some other conversation.
Staring at your phone is definitely a modern reflex. I tried putting it out of reach when I'm doing something else (thanks to this: http://www.raptitude.com/2016/03/4-absurdly-easy-things/) and noticed myself trying to reach for it anyway. Scary.
Do they ignore you once you start talking? If their attention is going to slack at some point, the best time for that is probably while you're thinking silently.
They switch back to me once I start talking. It's usually "Huh?" and I have to repeat the first 5 to 10 words.
Ever noticed how a lot of young people say a long "Sooooo" before they start speaking? This is why. It's the handshake algorithm.
It's also annoying.
Ever noticed how a lot of young people say a long "Sooooo" before they start speaking? This is why. It's the handshake algorithm.
It's also annoying.
Speaking purely for myself: It depends on the conversation, but I'm better at non-verbal conversation. I can research, source, write, edit, etc before I post. When I talk, my mouth moves faster than my brain.
I agree it's affecting people's abilities to interact, and that it does have some downsides, but I'm not convinced it's a bad thing overall.
I agree it's affecting people's abilities to interact, and that it does have some downsides, but I'm not convinced it's a bad thing overall.
It's still verbal, but not oral.
What I particularly dislike about oral communications is its real-time aspect. Sometimes it's indispensable, but most of the time I'd rather 're-formulate my phrase three times to make it convey the meaning best. It's easy with text, but haphazard with speech.
What I particularly dislike about oral communications is its real-time aspect. Sometimes it's indispensable, but most of the time I'd rather 're-formulate my phrase three times to make it convey the meaning best. It's easy with text, but haphazard with speech.
The global consciousness is simultaneously boring and bored because it knows about everything given it is everyone. It's hard to strike up a conversation with someone who's bored and also you.
When people are out of their phones they are in their natural setting as individuals with meaning and purpose. They forget they know everything, so things are interesting again.
When people are out of their phones they are in their natural setting as individuals with meaning and purpose. They forget they know everything, so things are interesting again.
"It's hard to strike up a conversation with someone who's bored and also you."
I like that, it's a really interesting way of phrasing it (and it eerily makes us sound a bit like the Borg).
I like that, it's a really interesting way of phrasing it (and it eerily makes us sound a bit like the Borg).
People adapt to their environment, and if their environment is dominated by shallow, fleeting interactions, it's hard to imagine that it doesn't have at least a temporary effect. The thing is, I don't see it being the dominant force in the life of healthy people. Young or old, your majority of social interactions won't be online, and you're going to be more shaped by consequential interactions.
Friends and family are just going to exert more pressure on who you are, and how you behave, than distant people you don't really know.
For a healthy person. For someone who is very isolated for one reason or another, then it can probably get very strange and unpleasant. That strikes me more as another symptom of whatever isolates, rather than an underlying cause though.
Friends and family are just going to exert more pressure on who you are, and how you behave, than distant people you don't really know.
For a healthy person. For someone who is very isolated for one reason or another, then it can probably get very strange and unpleasant. That strikes me more as another symptom of whatever isolates, rather than an underlying cause though.
Have you ever seen a family eat dinner with the TV turned on? There's no conversation. Fleeting phrases here and there. Everyone watches TV.
It's the same when everyone's smartphone is on the table. Perhaps worse because you aren't even sharing the experience of watching the same TV.
All my friends are always inside my phone. Only some of them are in front of me. Guess who wins.
It's the same when everyone's smartphone is on the table. Perhaps worse because you aren't even sharing the experience of watching the same TV.
All my friends are always inside my phone. Only some of them are in front of me. Guess who wins.
That's just a glimpse of their lives, not most of it.