Writeups

Well, it's been far too long, and I've been awfully slack.

I'll write more this weekend (and a bit tomorrow), but I just wanted to weigh on the whole 'net is making you stupid' thing which is doing the rounds.

Long story short -> a few well-respected (?) writers are claiming (basically) that the net shorterns their attention span.

This article goes a long way towards explaining things well, and also has links back to the original posts.

I'd go one further, though, and say that actually, the internet has made me much much smarter. All the information I could ever need is at my fingertips, literally split-seconds away from me.

I wholeheartedly agree with David Aaronovitch at the Times, who says that the internet actually gives him better access to books.

I haven't started reading less since going online 15 years ago - I've started reading even more, because instead of milling around Borders all day, hoping something jumps out, I can actually search for stuff recommended by people who like the same things.

The best thing? I don't have to meet these people. I don't need to find a set time where I can ask the expert.

I just pick a couple of minutes, and go online. I know they're out there, creating recommendations for anyone who cares to look.

The only downside to the internet, as far as I can see, is that it still sucks on phones, meaning when I'm on the go, I feel a lot more stupid, because my access to this insane wealth of info is effectively fettered.