Nicholas Carr The Shallows Analysis

In 1988, the Internet was opened to the public. At that time, not many people were aware of what a huge impact the Internet would have on the lives of future generations and cultures. While it was at first widely accepted by many users because of its astonishingly convenient and unlimited access to information, the enthusiasm for the Internet has more recently diminished and even disappeared in some cases. Many people no longer view the Internet as a helpful tool, but more as a harmful weapon, attacking every area of our lives, including education, communication, literacy, attention span, memory, intelligence, relationships, politics, economics, even sleep, diet, and physical activity. The Internet is ultimately affecting and determining the

He ultimately claims that although there are many benefits that can come from using the Internet, it is harming our brains and changing the way we process information, read, write, remember, and do everything. When it comes to reading, whether it be news, fiction, literature, science, history, articles, or the like, reading on the Web is inherently different from reading from a physical printed book, magazine, or newspaper. Both the Net and print have many advantages and disadvantages. For example, the Net provides a wider range of access to information than a book does, however, the book provides a linear way of thinking and reading, whereas the Net causes non-linear thinking (Carr 104). The primary disadvantage of reading on the Internet is distractions. The Internet is filled with distractions; in fact, the Net is inherently designed to distract its users. As Nicholas Carr describes, “the Net seizes our attention only to scatter it” (118). The Internet causes its users to constantly shift their focus to new alerts, updates, emails, hyperlinks, ads, videos, pictures, and more. All of these interruptions prevent the user from attentively and thoroughly understanding the material, therefore prohibiting the necessary act of deep and reflective reading (63). Rob Weatherhead, author and head of digital operations at MediaCom says, “the current generation of Internet consumers live in a world of ‘instant gratification and quick fixes,’ which leads to a ‘loss of patience and a lack of deep thinking’” (Weatherhead 1). Nicole Plumridge, author and researcher of psychological disorders adds that “a Pew Internet Study in the US found that attention span and in depth reading are being diminished by instant access to computers and online platforms. the type of reading that’s done on the Internet is shallow; there is no depth thinking