Comments on: Is Your Smart Phone Making You Dumb?

By: Bookmarks about Happiness

Bookmarks about Happiness — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:00:07 +0000

[...] – bookmarked by 1 members originally found by arphen on 2008-09-12 Is Your Smart Phone Making You Stupid? http://jonathanfields.com/blog/is-your-smart-phone-making-you-stupid/ – bookmarked by 6 members [...]

By: Peter Kwok

Peter Kwok — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:28:29 +0000

I agree with Aaron’s comments that these devices and technology are suppose to free us from the simple mundane tasks so we can reserve our energy and brainpower to wrestle with concepts and creating new ideas. I think that having technology handle the simple tasks (to-do list, phone numbers, the big 4 Jonathan mentioned) isn’t a bad thing because they probably didn’t enhance your brain beyond that particular skill (i.e memorizing phone numbers makes you better at memorizing 3-3-4 number sequences)and they take up your mental RAM (David Allen uses a term like that)

Many have touched on it but I agree technology has opened us up to a lot more information and stimulating ideas so there is potential to make us smarter… however most are stuck in a cycle of devoting attention and focus to “instant stuff” (checking email, blog updates, twitter, etc)

One thing I was thinking about was writing by hand. I think there is a unique feel and experience you get from writing by hand that is different from the keyboard. Maybe the slower speed and having to coordinate each curve and line in your brain triggers something different… but there does seem to be a deeper connection with your thoughts when writing on paper.

By: Rob Pitingolo

Rob Pitingolo — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:01:04 +0000

Although I don’t know the answer to whether smart phones make people dumber… I’ve always wondered whether they make people more or less social. On the one hand, you’re constantly connected to everyone, answering emails 24/7/365, blogging when any thought pops into your mind, etc. On the other hand, how often do people find themselves out at the bar with friends, sending emails and ignoring the real conversation right in front of them? Or, whats the point of going to a ballgame or a concert with friends if you’re just going to work the entire time?

By: Brian Monahan

Brian Monahan — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:10:14 +0000

I can’t remember what I am supposed to comment on.

By: Dana Seilhan

Dana Seilhan — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:45:03 +0000

It makes sense. I know I’ve read things over the years about the difference in mental processing capability between people from oral cultures and people from literate cultures–if you have to remember the story to pass it down, you remember things a lot better. Whereas if you write the information down and externalize it to paper, there’s no need to remember it. So it makes sense that using electronic data storage devices has a similar effect.

But I already get ditzy and forget stuff if I don’t write it down. Still, it’s probably better to write it out on paper in case my electronic device suffers a glitch…

By: Justin

Justin — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:16:37 +0000

I don’t know why, but I am kind of spiteful toward today’s rising technology. I think it makes things too simple, and you’re right, it is not good for our brains. That’s a good idea, to write down things with your hand instead of typing. That’s also a great thing to do because you remember things you write better.

By: Monday Reading Roundup Take #6

Monday Reading Roundup Take #6 — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:03:59 +0000

[...] Jonathan Fields has brought an interesting question to my (and your) attention: are smartphones actually making us dumber? It appears they are. I for one, if deprived of my phone, would be unable to contact any of my relatives or close friends. [...]

By: Aaron J. Walker

Aaron J. Walker — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:11:06 +0000

I think the whole point of having technology work for us is so we can mentally move on to bigger and better things.

Like in Star Trek; if all of the mundane task are handled, we should then be able to devote our brain power to “higher” goals and bigger thoughts.

It’s the same argument used for the industrial revolution, mechanizing task were supposed to free our minds for greater things. By letting machines handle the routine, we were supposed to be free for great feats of creativity and usefullness.

‘Course, it hasn’t exactly worked out that way since most people are hard pressed to figure out anything useful, important or productive to do with all of that free time and free mental space.

By: Alina Popescu

Alina Popescu — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 05:59:39 +0000

Hi Jonathan! I’ve postponed getting a smartphone for a different reason: I don’t want to spend every waking hour checking my work email But any phone kind of affects us: if my phone dies on me and I have an emergency, other than 112 (the local 911) I can’t remember any other number. But I guess the police won’t help if I forgot something at home and desperately needed, they won’t tell my mom I’ll be late because of traffic when visiting her, not because something bad happened etc. I used to know a lot of phone numbers by heart. No I rely on my phone and am helpless without it.

By: Steve Kinney

Steve Kinney — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:16:07 +0000

Another thought occurred to me: I think that it is safe to say that we all read a whole lot more thanks to technology. It’s an improvement over television, certainly.