Nicholas Carr puts into writing what many may not notice in his piece titled “Is Google Making Us Stupid”. Carr opens with an analogy, quoting from the film “A Space Odessy” when a robot speaking to his human counterpart says “brain. Dave, my mind is going, … I can feel it. I can feel it.” (Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey). Carr relates to that dialogue by responding “I feel it too”. (Carr) He goes on to introduce his main idea, that technology is causing a disconnect between us and our brain. He explains that technology today, particularly speaking about the internet (Thus, Google) is such an essential tool but it has changed how our mind works. Carr gives examples of how his attention span has shortening and how he struggles to maintain focus on long documents or article. He shared some examples of his friends that also support his thesis. Carr chooses to expound of this with another analogy saying that he likens his reading to just zipping across the surface of the ocean with a jet ski rather than diving deep into its depths like a scuba driver would. (Carr). Carr explains that he holds the mind in very high regard and considers education and intellect to be of utmost value. He believes that the internet has changed the way we seek, process, and interpret information. It’s his belief that as the internet expands, it will replace other technologies. He warns that the internet may one day replace the human mind. He fears that we will allow technology to become such a part of our lives that we will lose the mental capacity that makes us human.

I believe Carr’s Article is striking and sobering. The imagery and analogies used by him really put into perspective how serious of an issue this is. Obviously, the topic at hand is personal to Carr and his emotional stance rings clear through every paragraph written. Many different emotions and thoughts come to my mind after reading.
It is a wake-up call to many of us who mindlessly go through the motions every day. Personally, it opened my eyes to how much I use the internet every day. This morning, my alarm clock went off. The alarm clock was my cell phone, through an app that redirected me to local news after I dismissed the alarm. This instance is one of many examples of how the internet is engrained even to very insignificant portions of my life. I’m sure this is the same for many others, too.
It’s concerning to acknowledge how the internet has changed how we process information. For me, that the internet has reshaped mental processes is more bothersome than any other factor. Like Carr, I consider the human mind to be our most prized possession. I’d take a well exercised mind and intellect over material possessions. It’s startling to consider Carr’s valid point of artificial intelligence replacing our own.
What if it were true? If internet continues to grow as is has, and Carr is correct in his prophetic statements about artificial intelligence, will the definite characters of human kind cease? We will still be intelligent, emotional beings who connect with one another on a personal level sharing our thoughts and desires? Or will we be simply networked together by fiberoptics and wireless communication exchanging data and bytes?