WhatDidArtFlemingAndMervGriffin
KnowAnywayVille
Longtime reader and lyric purveyor, Dr. Beer 'N Hockey, did not agree with the thesis of a recent post in which we tentatively concluded that the world is getting dumber because of all that the internet has wrought:
...I don't know. Dude's thesis does not seem too far off the olden days parents' groups who saw Satan in every rock 'n' roll record. Similar arguments to his could be made blaming micro-plastics and wildfire fire smoke for our increasing dimness, if indeed it is increasing. Seems to me the unfettered ability of all of us listening to all of us might just teach us a thing or two about ourselves well worth knowing. I'm certainly paying attention. Could be we have all just taken too much acetaminophen after all...
Upon further reflection, I reckon Beer has a point.
Especially regarding the young among us. I certainly know that my own two kids, who are in the early stages of adult hood, seem to be able to use the digital interconnectedness to their intellectual advantage.
As for us olds?
I'm not so sure.
Cases in point, Jeopardy(!) and remembering the names of people that I run into but don't know so well....
I'm convinced I'm better at both when I've been off the box and its to connections to everything, everywhere all at once for awhile.
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Regarding Jeopardy - I am routinely trounced by both kids except, of course, if two of the categories are Watergate and sports trivia from the 1970's.
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6 comments:
It is my belief that people are getting dimmer and I think "information overload" is the main reason. Our brains cannot deal with the massive amount of info coming our way and it deletes what it believes non essential.
On YouTube I peruse Canadian pod casts; American pod casts; Ukrainian War pod casts, I also watch geology pod casts as well as astrophysics pod casts and always have time for Railcargirls, Norwegian Railway cab views (just watch the Flambahn!) and TimeTeam.
Did I assimilate all the information? Not a chance but I got the gist of the narratives. The details are for the experts, but I do, well almost do, understand what is going on in the world.
A lot of folks just cannot digest so much info and why I think, the reason why con-men are successful, as a good part of the population like easy answers to complex questions and con-men tell them what they want to hear. This is religion to a T; this is MAGA's success, a great portion of the population cannot apply critical thinking to today's serious problems, because their brains will not allow them to.
Gimme echo chambers for $1000, Alex!
EE--
Legitimizing the oversimplification of the complex is definitely a scourge of our age.
Now...It's off to Norwegian Railway cab views!
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GF--
Check out that last category on the right...No longer safe/legitimate for anyone, anywhere I reckon.
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Gaming is another story if one is searching for what may have happened to our intellectual side. I recall losing several months of my life to Pong. Not that Pong was bad, mind. It is that you can do just about anything in this world but you cannot do anything worthwhile with a joystick in your paw.
The personal benefits I have enjoyed ditching dirty Facebook supported my above conclusion.
Funny thing is I think it was my training in philosophy that helped me question your thesis. I was lucky to take philosophy when it was one of the few subjects left for me to take when I first set myself to studying as a mature student.
Gaming is like everything else, ok in moderation. They can be a powerful teaching tool, I like a game called Zwift, which makes you sweat like a pig while playing it, or Rocksmith, which can mess up your finger tips big time. As for social media, the only one I use regularly is of course, Mastodon.
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