Carr, in his article which questions the benefits of technology, writes, “I’m not thinking the way I used to think.” He is writing this as though a change in thought is negative, yet Johnson, in his article arguing for the advancements of technology, responds to this by saying, “The question is not whether our brains are being changed. The question is whether the rewards of the change are worth the liabilities.” I agree with Johnson; since when was change a bad thing? Perhaps my concentration levels are decreasing from the use of ‘screen time,’ but I find those liabilities worth the advances.
Carr readily admits, “The Web has been a godsend to me as a writer. Research that once required days in the stacks or periodical rooms of libraries can now be done in minutes.” As someone who desires to write someday, be it blog or novel, the ‘Web’ is indeed a godsend. And while at times it borders on adventure to delve into a library, poring over reference works and theologies, searching for an article online helps to conserve my lack of time. As a kid I loved meandering through the library, pulling a book with an interesting title from the shelf and opening it to discover the joy contained in the pages. Yet today I open blogs and articles with the 20-year-old version of that self-same joy. The more I read, the more I learn what sort of writer I want to be. In a digital age, learning how to write for an online audience can only be accomplished by reading as part of said online audience.
Continuing the discussion of digital texts, I would even go so far as to argue that social media is a text of sorts. People choose what they portray about themselves through their words, pictures, and hashtags. When looking at someone’s profile I can read a great deal into who they believe themselves to be. This online form of communication also allows introverts, such as myself, to speak without the pressure of being around other people. I can share sentimental videos with my sister whilst away at college in a way that books could never allow. I can send someone a favorite quote from a book much faster than I could if I were physically searching through that book.
The possibilities of what I can do with digital texts are endless, and it both frightens and excites me to wonder what the generations to come will experiences as technological advances.
(Taken by Pam Kriegel - Mom)