Is Technology Reducing The Ability To Think?

I don't think it is affecting our ability to think so much as it affects simple good manners. I have had whole conversations where the other person hasn't looked up from texting until I've refused to answer until they do. I may be old fashioned but I still like to look people in the eye when I am talking to them, not the top of their head!
As to text speak, language has always evolved pretty steadily. We no longer speak paleolithic (well, most of us don't ) or Elizabethan or Georgian english.
Ummm, I've walked into a lamppost reading a book.

 

I have long held the belief that calculators should not be allowed in schools, if I use a calculator I still do the figures again myself to be sure. they have stopped the ability to do mental arithmetic.

Regarding phones I have a smart phone and they are very useful tools, but, they are that , a tool, not a replacement.If I see someone in the supermarket walking toward me with their head down, let them walk, if they collide with me, or my trolley, I will tell them to look where they are going.

My daughter lives on her phone, when she cooks a meal, she will photo it and post it on facebook. I try to discourage her, and have told her not to post pictures of me on facebook, as she did last year whilst I was in Brighton, I pointed out everybody who read the post would know I was away from home.I have privacy on my feeds, not sure of hers.

 

In answer to your question Shiney...absolutely.....and there is nothing that infuriates me more ....especially the texting on phones...people don't appear to see how, IMO extremely rude it is especially at the table and at social gatherings.......i have 'friends' that think nothing of, in mid conversation sitting there and faffing with their phones....very ignorant and they've been told so too....i also think it's a cop out too....people don't talk face to face these days,i understand that if that's not possible even a phone call would be better (not at the table mind)....and they'd say things on a text that they wouldn't say in person....On the rare occasion i use my phone to text i still use old fashion English...(well my English)...not this texting jargon...WOT U UP 2 business...Yes i'm a bit of a luddite...but technology of many kinds is the ruination of lots of things....even down to house hold gadgets.....these days people don't actually get up from a chair and turn the TV over or get up to answer the telephone ...no wonder people are becoming more imobile ....for those that are unable to get about then these things are an asset to them but for those that are able....get up and get moving.....

I could go on and on and on.........

 

The one thing I do like about my mobile phone (it is not a smart phone, very basic) is that I don't have to wait in for calls!

 

I was recently stopped in the security at the airport on the way out to America because they could see something strange on the xray of my hand luggage ; after taking everything out it turned out to be the whistle tied to my compass - and I had to demonstrate what they did because the young chap doing the searching had never seen one before. He thought it was strange that I was carrying stuff like that when I also had a GPS & a smart phone in my pack too & struggled to understand that technology is useful but you cant rely on it working when you really need it. I suspect that theres an entire generation coming along who haven't been exposed to things I take for granted; like reading a map & using a compass.

 

I bought a sat nav after my husband died, he just seemed to know where everywhere was, I as a passenger never really took much notice, you don`t seem to when not holding the steering wheel , I still print off AA directions as a hard copy, but find it very useful.

 

Only yesterday i watched a program about new technology and in the not too distant future cars will be driving themselves...just what in heavens name is that all about....i'm all for progress but productive progress ...and i don't see much of it where i'm coming from....call me old fashioned but life is ..to me ... is down to common sense and all this clap trap is there to blur the realities...folk managed years ago on the basics so why not now? this is just my personal opinion but i do tend to go on what my Granny instilled on me...and i don't think she's far wrong ...

Loli the Luddite

 

I don't tend to use a calculator around the house as I prefer using spreadsheets, but in a shop I find the mental arimethic required to compare one product with 20% extra and on bogof against another that's 'reduced' and on a multisave extremely easy and normally get my calcs within a penny or so.

Several years ago a checkout operator was completely stumped trying to calculate the refund for part of a shop during a promotion with the discount applied at the end, and said "I'll need to use my phone" (for the calculator function) but I immediately got in with "are you going to phone a friend for the answer?", much to the amusement of the queue behind me.

I find that relying upon spelling auto-correct has a worse effect than using calculators or spreadsheets.

After I finally got Mrs Scrungee to stop holding maps upside down when travelling south I found less need for a SatNav.

 

I use a computer a lot. Its my job I also make quite extensive use of my smartphone, using it as a phone, a camera, a satnav, and various fitness/exercise monitoring tools. But they are all just tools. We shouldn't shun them unless we are going to shun the cordless electric drill, which is a godsend compared to old manual tools.

But, yes, I sort of agree with all that's been said. Some people don't see them as tools, but instead see them as their soul, their personality, their life.

A pet hate of mine is when in conversation with a youngster, they will check what wikipedia says (specifically wikipedia), and if it says any different to what you say, then you're wrong. They completely overlook the fact that anyone can write an article on wikipedia, the author doesn't have to be any kind of authority on the subject, but if wiki says so, its the truth.

As for people texting at restaurants, well that's just plain wrong. If I owned a resaurant and I saw a table full of people glued to their phones, I'd eject them from the premises without question. How ignorant. Not only ignoring their company, but ignoring the effort that's gone into their food, their surrounds, the service, the ambience. They'd definitely be shown the door.

We used to have a running joke at one of my last places of work that the time will come when the post work pint will fail if the pub is not online. We had visions of younger recruits standing at the bar, actually in front of a waiting bartender, while fiddling frustratedly with their phone trying to find where to order their pint online.