Are We Getting Dumb or Quick?

It's About Focus: Counter

Although I worte that multiple foci likely have a negative effect for productivity and intelligence, the need for ideas, vis-a-vis cross pollination, might be enhanced from looking over a broad range of topics or ideas. I'm sure one could argue for the value of less focus...

James of NY @ Jun 23, 2008 10:05:00 AM

It's About Focus

There isn't much to question about bound versus electronic books, but long material requiring engagement versus short internet-based material. Recently, someone described my knowledge as encyclopedic, but I am sometimes jibed by coworkers because I still read bound books, both technical and literature-focused, which I really think is about my age, 48 versus my coworkers, 25 to 35.

My age relates to another fact of internet usage, in that as a boomer, even if the trailing end; my internet use is information driven, not entertainment driven, with a focus on reading abstracts of science and medical articles, as wll as scanning a large range of international news sources. Younger readers might not have the same focus, and are more driven by entertainment or socializing.

As this relates to mental smarts, the internet and computer use can drive people to multitask which is a great time and productivity waster, as well as reducing the intellectual drill-down required to intellectual thought. As a software developer, the need and ability to focus for long periods on single aspects is important, as is the ability to think about systems, and choosing the correct solution. The focus on internet media, as well as the supposed tendency for youth to multitask, seems more harmful than good, at least in terms of smarts, or at least productivity. It's not that something positive can't arise from a reduced multi-target focus...

james Igoe of NY @ Jun 23, 2008 07:59:20 AM

Sharing highlighting, comments, & hyperlinks.

I like the ideas in the original comment, but as the second comment says, it isn't what the Kindle was designed for. But maybe for vesion 2, with some caviats.

1. It's called privacy. Just because my Kindle is in wireless contact with Amazon's Kindle computer, doesn't mean I want to share such with everybody else who has or will read the same text. Let me identify what I'm willing to share, and what I am not. Easy enough to do, especially if it allows me to set a global setting so I don't have to remake my choice everytime I could possibly share something.

2. It's called authorship. Maybe the author should interact, receive the shared reader non-private highlights, etc., and then decide what would go into their book. After all, the author has the ability with Kindle and other ebook formats to revise his work at any time -- so let them insert those highlighghts into the original book which is felt worthwhile, and leave out distractions offered by over-highlighting people. For example I've seen people with a yellow hightlighting pen practically color an entire book with highlighting, as opposed to me who would consider only doing so for truly outstanding locations I really don't want to forget. Too much of a good thing is NOT a good thing -- but some people do it.

3. It's called legal. The author copyrights his book, ;protecting his own work while at the same time giving full credit through citations of the works of other authors which might be incorporated. Who is going to protect other authors from comments which plagarise their works without citation, essentially stealing their work. And should a contributing commentor be cited for their contribution to the book now incorporating their comments? Where does this all end?

4. I personally have no problem with hyperlinks with one exception. Some authors want their work hyperlinked as broadly as possible in other's works in order to add to the exposure their work thereby receives. Again I think onlhy the original author should have the right to add hyperlinks, as sometimes they do not add anything, and in fact can be a disttraction to a reader who is not interested.

5. A reader should have the ability to omit all highlighting, comments and hyperlinks as he reads to avoid distractions, and slowing down their reading. If they want to see them, let them set an option to do so. It can be interesting to see on a second more in-depth reading of a work, but much better omitted on an initial reading.

Charles Wilkes of CA @ Jun 21, 2008 11:26:26 AM

Right on Fatesrider

I couldn't have said it better if I tried. Brava!

copycat of MS @ Jun 21, 2008 05:19:46 AM

A refinement of the herd mentality?

It seems to me that if a person, in the act of using an electronic book reader (as opposed to a real book with paper and glue), is regretting not knowing what other people think of a particular section, must have other people highlight 'the best parts' and connect to other books from within the book directly WHILE READING THE BOOK belies not a change in reading habits, but a lack of focus and a desperate desire to be validated by or validate other people.

Is it insecurity? A person can't feel confident in what they're reading without checking with other people to see if they agree? Or is it 'trendiness' and an irresistable urge to make sure you're still trendy by making sure you know what parts are hip and cool and send them on to toehrs so they know how hip and cool you are? Is it adult A.D.D. that dictates the attention span of a three year old and a mind that can't seem to zero in on the whole point of using a book reader - which is to read the book.

I've seen Amazon's offering. It is quite unique in doing what it is called - electronic book reader. No lights. No horns. No buttons (well, a few by necessity). It allows a person to read a digital book. That's all it's supposed to do. You can't DIGG a paper book unless you pass it around to your friends and invite them to scrawl their graffiti in it. You can't get it highlighted with the 'best parts'. And if you want to hook into another book, you have to put down the first and read the second. That's what READING is all about.

There's an adage that keeps popping up more and more as situations like this arise when people try to embellish things which require no embellishment: Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. If you want to DIGG and highlight and link, go on your computer and have at it. But if you're going to read a book, just sit down read the damn thing. Who knows, you might actually form your OWN opinion of it instead of letting others dictate your likes and dislikes.

Fatesrider of CA @ Jun 21, 2008 02:58:17 AM

Nah. TV is far worse.

Web-wiredness makes us antsy about what all ELSE we could be looking at while browsing exactly where we are. Having so many choices may make us regretful or guilty about what we DIDN'T cover. But the web does not make us DUMB. Staring at the TV does that. How many times have you heard the Free

Credit Report . com ditties now? Or viagra? Or my personal ditsy favorites,the AFLAC duck and the GEICO gecko.

Daniel David of NM @ Jun 20, 2008 17:23:13 PM