Final Blog: The Shallows--The Post-American World

The book I read was The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to our Brains. I am commenting on Ashley Cummings' blog for her book, The Post-American World. It doesn't seem like these two books have a lot of connections, but there are some in the beginning of the book, which she writes about in her blog. The quote Ashley used is saying that there is so much growth in our world now with technology, economics, and politics and it can be good and bad. I am going to stick with the technology part because that connects to my book the most. She quotes that "it is raising a series of complex and potentially lethal dilemmas" (Zakaria 27). That is something that the author of my book Nicholas Carr, would probably agree with. He believes that the Internet is changing us and our brains in mostly negative ways. Both of these books discuss how technology is greatly advancing. It's good because everything is now faster and easier and we can do anything we need to do online, and most Americans now find that they cant live without it. Its bad because were dependent on it and now were losing the importance of memorization, books are also losing their value and its only going to get worse...and better at the same time. Also, I like how she talks about challenging the status quo, and changing it because thats what we have been talking about in class all semester. I feel like in my book, the author wants us to challenge the status quo as well and maybe try to cut down on our use of the internet and television. He wants to bring back the power of the book, as opposed to The Post-American World, where they need to alter the status quo to compete with the new global powers we will soon have.

Lit Circle Meeting #3: The Shallows

In this section of the book, he starts off with some things about what the internet is doing to us and how we have this fear of being out of the social loop, like being invisible. He also tells us about the differences between hypertext and hypermedia, and there impact on readers. He then runs tests and practices on different groups of people, mostly college students, to see how they affect the brain and how the brain works. Then he finishes with the world of Google and social networks and how they were born and how they affect us.

Nicholas Carr cites Gary Small, a psychiatry professor at UCLA who also believes in the theory that the internet changes the brain. He states that, “The current explosion of digital technology not only is changing the way we live and communicate but is rapidly and profoundly altering our brains” (Carr 120). I completely agree with both of them because I feel like the internet has changed me. I’m sure some people disagree, but they are probably in denial. It definitely changed the way I live, because now I have to incorporate Facebook into my schedule and now I can use it for so many things that I couldn’t before and it is a lot easier and faster. I get a feel of safety I guess when I realize I can do something online. When I need to get a hold of someone and they aren’t answering my calls or texts, I say “oh its okay, I can just catch them on Facebook!”

Captured Thought: Chicago Musical

My last three years of high school, I have never cared about the musical. I never tried out, or ever wanted to be in it. Im just not the best actress, but I love to sing and dance! But everything was diffrerent this year. When I figured out that the musical was Chicago, I was actually really excited! I mean it was the only musical that I have seen a bunch of times, and actually liked, but I just couldn't wait to try out because I really wanted to be Mama Morton. I knew I wouldnt get a lead role, and I didnt really want one so I would go for a shorter role, and I knew I could rock her song. So I just had to make it through Variety Show, and then I'd be ready for musical. But man, that did not go as I had planned. During and after v-show I was just utterly exhasusted and feeling busy and stressed all of the time with all the rehearsals and homework and all the other things I had to do, I had no time! If that was that bad, I didnt even want to imagine what musical would be like and I could not just jump into something else that time consuming right away. I just couldnt help but feeling lousy all the time and kind of angry that I can't even get as school-involved as I want to. I have to go back to work and find another job cause I took too much time off for school stuff and now I need money. I feel like Im just getting a taste of adulthood too soon, and I cant enjoy being a kid anymore. I really would have liked to be in that musical, but I guess its just bad timing.