The most influential changes to our culture often come from innovations in technology, and never more so than with the proliferation of the internet into modern society. Identifying how this social integration will affect our society is a very important field of thought. The momentum of this change is irrevertable, and so lamenting the loss of "long form discourse" seems somewhat nostalgic. The crux of the matter seems to echo the moniker of the generation. What does "always on" mean in terms of what is lost and what is gained?
what is lost
What is lost is the benefit that accompanies the absence of technology. Reading books, though possible on the web, requires time and respite from distraction. Just the act of reading a book involves many functions of the brain: imagination, language decoding, critical thinking, vocabulary, etc. It takes focus and patience, but the intellectual rewards are great. Often when I'm reading a passage in which meanings are layered and complex, I have to sit and think about what I've read and reengage with the text repeatedly to cypher out a sense of its structural currents. Having spent time educating in English and observing classes I see an impatience for the diligence that is required in careful reading. Other activities like learning an instrument or mastering a sport take extreme devotions of time and energy to complete.
what is lost
What is lost is the benefit that accompanies the absence of technology. Reading books, though possible on the web, requires time and respite from distraction. Just the act of reading a book involves many functions of the brain: imagination, language decoding, critical thinking, vocabulary, etc. It takes focus and patience, but the intellectual rewards are great. Often when I'm reading a passage in which meanings are layered and complex, I have to sit and think about what I've read and reengage with the text repeatedly to cypher out a sense of its structural currents. Having spent time educating in English and observing classes I see an impatience for the diligence that is required in careful reading. Other activities like learning an instrument or mastering a sport take extreme devotions of time and energy to complete.
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