Technology vs. Ingenuity: Find the Optimal Level of Interaction How not to get swallowed up by technology and stay creative? Vacation tips
Technology affects our brains. This is a fact that no one disputes, but whether it is a positive or
negative influence remains an open question.
Even scientists have different opinions on the subject. Some - let's call them techno-enthusiasts - citing
the concept of "augmented mind," claim that certain tools from the outside world can improve our cognitive
functions. This will also make us smarter. Once maps and compasses, today GPS systems help us orient
ourselves spatially. In the past, abacuses and, for the past few decades, calculators help us with
calculus. And we no longer have to wade through stacks of books to find the information we need. All we
have to do is turn on the computer and we have instant access to the body of knowledge of the entire
planet.
On the opposite side are the technoskeptics with their concept of the "shallow mind," according to which modern people are thinking more and more superficially. They claim that we are like surfers who merely jump from one wave of digital data to another. To avoid drowning in an ocean of texts, images and sounds, we have developed a new habit of browsing through these materials. At the same time, however, we have lost the ability to reflect and concentrate deeply, so in a sense we are becoming dumbed down.
On the opposite side is the concept of the "shallow mind," which is preached by technoskeptics. According to them, modern people are thinking more and more superficially. They claim that we are like surfers who merely jump from one wave of digital data to another. To avoid drowning in an ocean of texts, images and sounds, we have developed a new habit of browsing through these materials. At the same time, however, we have lost the ability to reflect and concentrate deeply, so in a sense we are becoming dumb.
We absorb 34 gigabytes of data every day - that's the equivalent of 100,000 words, or roughly the number of words in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" (95,356 words), according to a report from the University of California, San Diego.
Is it better to have an expanded mind or a shallow one? Neither. David Eagelman, an American neuroscientist, believes that the more of the world a person absorbs, the more creative he can be, because his gray cells get more elements that he can arbitrarily separate and splice together. This, in turn, is the basis of ingenuity and invention. On the other hand, it is impossible to build any meaningful structure from a set of building blocks that grows larger every second - or rather, nanosecond. Unfortunately, the brain has its limitations.
Neither too much information and incentives, nor too little. Only a balance can make us innovative as investors, entrepreneurs or designers of new products and services. The solution is suggested by the time of year. It's the vacations. And you probably have all too much interaction with the Internet. Give yourself a break from your laptop and smartphone as often as possible. Switch your mind to rest mode. The best ideas arise in the shower. Or on a walk. Or during vacation sojourns. But don't take our word for it. Check it out for yourself.