Tools That Change the Way We Think

"Back in 2004, I asked [Google founders] Page and Brin what they saw as the future of Google search. 'It will be included in people's brains,' said Page. 'When you think about something and don't really know much about it, you will automatically get information.'

'That's true,' said Brin. 'Ultimately I view Google as a way to augment your brain with the knowledge of the world. Right now you go into your computer and type a phrase, but you can imagine that it could be easier in the future, that you can have just devices you talk into, or you can have computers that pay attention to what's going on around them and suggest useful information.'

'Somebody introduces themselves to you, and your watch goes to your web page,' said Page. 'Or if you met this person two years ago, this is what they said to you... Eventually you'll have the implant, where if you think about a fact, it will just tell you the answer."

-From In the Plex by Steven Levy (p.67)

How does use of the Internet, media, and/or technology change the way you think?

I believe the internet, technology, and media all greatly influence the way we think. The internet changes the way we think because we are influenced by what other people are saying as we are able to see everyone's thoughts. This can be a positive thing because it widens our perspectives on that certain topic. Technology changes the way we think because instead of trying to remember or figure something out, we immediately go the internet for the answer. The internet is so convenient and people have become lazy due to the fact technology is able to do the work for us. Before the internet and greatly evolved calculators we have now, people had to go to the library to look through numerous books for answers or work out problems on paper. Media also changes the way many people think. For example, people think the world has become a bad place as there are many robberies and murders occurring. The reason for this belief, however, is because the news on television just focuses on the negative crimes rather than the positive news. Police car chases are much more exciting than a local beach cleanup and more people will tune into the news to hear about these exciting crimes.