Technology And Technology

It is a habit for the older generation to compare today’s society to their own, and often time, it is not in the favor of the youth. A prominent though is that the current generation is being corrupted by technology and because of it are at a disadvantage intellectual. One certain critic, Mark Bauerlein, in his book, The Dumbest Generation, makes a bold claim that anyone under thirty are part of a generation dumber than any before. However, studies show a different trend. Technology is not lowering intelligence but changing the way people learn. Because of the influence of the digital world, the current generation has shift to a new way of learning that in no way make them dumber.

Technology has advanced a lot more in the past century than it has over a million years. There is millions of new advancements found every day, however, this is making the younger generation a lot less knowledgeable. In the book The Dumbest Generation by Mark Bauerkein, it states that the teens today are the dumbest generation to live on the planet. It is commonly believed that the young generation is the least knowledgeable generation because of their great reliability on technology, constant distraction by technology, and negative media influences. Although technology helps to make one’s everyday life a lot easier, it is taking away one’s intelligence.

Often times, the older generation gives the Internet a bad reputation. There are numerous articles claiming the Internet is generating a doltish society. Nicholas Carr is one of many writers who addresses the topic of our supposed intellectual decline entitled ‘Is the Internet Dumbing Us Down?’ According to Carr and multiple psychologists, the Internet can inhibit cognition. Because these people didn’t grow up with Internet, like the Millennials did, they fear the power of the World Wide Web. Like any great tool, if abused, the Internet can thwart progression. However, in this century, the Internet is an extremely popular and efficacious learning device. I cannot speak on anyone’s behalf but, the Internet was my first teacher, and it continues

In chapter one of The Dumbest Generation, Mike Bauerlein makes several statements about our generation and comes to a conclusion that helps set the groundwork for the entire book. His analysis of today’s youth states that the current generation is lacking when it comes to intellectual knowledge. He provides evidence that states that today’s under-thirty population in the United States does not have adequate knowledge, and their lack of knowledge with affect them greatly in their adulthood years.

Along with the progression of society, major advances have been made in hundreds of different fields — particularly technology. Controversy has risen, and debates ensued over whether today's young Americans are really “the dumbest generation,” due to their “money, media, e-gadgets, and career plans” [Source A]. While advances have been made, they have brought with them resources to benefit off of, and ultimately assist in the overall intellect and intelligence of the human race.

It is believed by many that younger generations, those under the age of thirty are the “dumbest”. Apparently, technology has now influenced and molded people into less-intelligent individuals who lack the knowledge and skills that people of the same age once acquired. Though if we look at more aspects of their learning capabilities, millennials do have the potential to be bright beings, now seen through more creative, non-traditional ways. And because of this, younger generations cannot be undermined as they have high levels of cognitive abilities, the help from technology, and how technology makes them write more and be more involved with their interests. Younger generations are not limited in their cognitive abilities, rather these abilities are expanding as time progresses.

The younger generation of Americans, those under the age of thirty, are often criticized as being the “dumbest generation”. Many Americans blame technology for making “goods so plentiful, schooling so accessible, diversion so easy, and liberties so copious” (Bauerlein). Many are posing the question: Is the increasing ease in life causing our intelligence to slip? Those under thirty are not the dumbest generation, in fact, technology is expanding, changing, and pushing in new directions intelligence and mental capacity.

Bauerlein claims, “Young Americans have much more access and education than their parents did, but in the 2007 Pew survey on ‘What Americans Know:1989-2007,’ 56 percent of 18- to 29- year-olds possessed low knowledge levels, while only 22 percent of 50- to 64- year-olds did”(Bauerlein). This allusion to a Pew survey shows that more under 30’s are dumb, this is believed to be because of this generation’s access to new technology. Even though the older generations may have had less information they showed up smarter, this is because instead of having all information easy at the finger-tips they had to read and learn. Even with all of the technology they have, this

Intelligence is not based on what one already knows. Instead, it is based upon our ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills towards a certain topic. In other words, how one will process and use the information that has been given to them. The learning and thinking capacity today’s generation posses is not only greater than those of previous generations but more effective as well. Researcher Mizuko Ito agrees. In her 3-year study she states, “...young people acquire various forms of technical and media literacy by

Through the provocative title, The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (Or, Don 't Trust Anyone Under 30), Emory University professor, Mark Bauerlein, asserts his thesis. Using statistical information, Bauerlein presents the case that the millennial generation suffers from “Knowledge Deficits” in almost every important subject (11-38). Bauerlein argues bibliophobia (39-69) and distractions caused by technology (71-111) as reasons for the millennial generation’s lack of intellect. Bauerlein further implicates educators, or the mentors (163-203). When educators try to justify the knowledge deficits in millennials by pointing to individualism, Bauerlein ridicules their statements (185).

In his best-selling book The Dumbest Generation, professor and social critic Mark Bauerlein makes the statement that “those under thirty comprise the dumbest generation in modern history.” Which is a wildly distorted statement, surely the millennials don’t remember as much facts as there parental generations did but to call them the dumbest generation is completely absurd. In fact the under 30 generations perform better than the previous generations in many areas of intellect. Perhaps making them one of the smartest generations ever, with the highest IQ levels, there focus on accessing information and how there leading a literacy revolution.

Through the internet and the change in learning this group is more self motivated to learn from each other versus just from the classroom. They also learn a lot more on their own. This expands “new forms of expression and rules of social behavior” (Source B). Consequently, the internet is more creativity and sense of self. As well as that “what makes these groups unique is that while adults participate, they are not automatically the resident experts by virtue of their age ” (Source C). Proving that Millennials surpass adults in the aspect of technology understanding and knowledge. Overall, the 30 and under generation are more self directed and creative in their learning prior than older

Despite criticism and popular belief towards Generation Y, those under the age of thirty are not “the dumbest generation.” The new technology that has immersed over the past several decades is changing how the brains of Gen Y work, but not negatively. It is rather improving our mental thinking ability. Cognitive scientist Marcel Just stated, “Insofar as new information technology exercises our minds and provides more information, it has to be improving thinking ability.” (169)

In the first article, “The Dumbest Generation? Don’t Be Dumb,” Sharon Begley writes about whether, or not, the digital age is making the next generation dumber than the previous. She compares different ideas from different sources to find the answer. One source she pulls from is a book written by an Emory University professor of

Since our existence, humans have become smarter through evolution. Advances in technologies allow us to discover new ideas through science and other methods, allowing us to be smarter. However, these advances may also become harmful in the present and possibly the future. New technologies such as cell phones and computers have made life much simpler, but has also taken away the need for critical thinking. Instead of books and newspapers, all we really need is a metal brick and a few taps to get all the information we ever needed in our lives. This represents the current generations, such as the Millennials and Generation Z. The newest generation is the dumbest generation because of how they are very inept and ignorant.