Nicholas Carr’s commentary on search technology and the subsequent results of the convenience of said technology has stuck with me because of how much I can relate to what he is saying. The things that are happening because of how convenient it is to get information are things that people may not pay attention to, I certainly paid it no mind, until Carr spelled it out in his article.

I used to be a big reader and you could often find me in my room sitting with a book until I finish it. Recently however, even though my enjoyment of reading has not gone away, my attention span has. I find myself reading shorter stories online instead of a proper novel. I have novels at home that I would like to start, but can’t seem to find the energy or appropriate attention to do so. This is also shown in how I approach most readings for my classes. Even if the reading is interesting, I find myself just naturally skimming the page and skipping words even if I don’t mean to be doing so. I even remember asking my mother, who reads a lot of books on her kindle, how she reads so fast. How does she do it you might ask? Yup, she skims the page.

In terms of how we interact with knowledge on a daily basis, there is also the fact that instead of reading the textbook pages to help you solve a homework problem, you may google the question and find a quizlet deck with the answer. Most people cannot sit and gather information how they used to, it needs to be quick and snappy and I myself am honestly one of these people as much as I hate to admit it. Will I pick up a book sometime soon, honestly maybe. But as far as this technology goes, as Carr says “I’m not thinking the way I used to think.”