Google – a Blessing or Curse?
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Google – A blessing or curse?
Wikipedia, Amazon, eBay, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Google, Skype, Instant Messaging – everything is just a click away, or is it? Whether you go shopping on the Internet, sharing something on a social network or doing some research, a world without the Internet is hardly fathomable. You want to be cool – be online! In 2010, Nicolas G. Carr asks the question probably many people are wondering about nowadays: “Is Google making us stupid?” In his article in The Atlantic he tries to explain what the Internet does to our brains. And it is not as pretty as we might think. In our society the Internet and especially its leading search engine Google rule our everyday life. But can that be understood as a blessing or curse?
Google as the dominant player, is the headlining example of gathering information fast, quickly, easy – an attitude that is reflected in our society. You type in any word that you want to research and instantly you get a million hits. Endlessly poring over books? Not anymore! Thank you, Wikipedia. You are looking for the right word, its meaning or even the translation in any language there is? “High Five”, LEO! But what about the old fashioned way going into the library, relentlessly roaming the rows one after another in search of the right reading material? The tradition of meeting up with other people to study with a lot of books in front you has become obsolete. However, it does not mean it does not exist anymore. It is just different: Instead of a pile of books sitting on your desk, you have a laptop perched on your lap. Ultimately, this does not mean Internet research is a bad thing. It should just not be the only form of gathering information.
Beyond that, things like shopping are made easier for people. You want to compare price, quality and efficiency and do not want to perpetually trawl stores? Just go on Amazon or eBay and you will find anything in any design, color and size! No need for going out into the rain, right? If it fits – perfect! If it does not, just send it back! The same goes for Online-Banking: Do all your transaction from home! Nevertheless, security is a big issue. Very easily hackers can make your life miserable. They steal confidential information, give it to others and use it in very unfriendly user ways. Information about your bank account, private information, your whereabouts and other data can be used against you. It could even be made public in the worst scenario. Thinking about security, especially when doing Online-Banking or posting things on social networks, which functions well when trying to stay in contact with friends around the world, should always be a priority when surfing the Internet and its media.
Looking at this biologically, the use of the Internet and the skimming of the media change us. Our brains are affected. According to several neuroscientists, it is even shaping our