The Shallows

What the Internet is Doing to our Brains

280 pages

English language

Published Jan. 6, 2011 by W. W. Norton & Company.

ISBN:
978-0-393-33975-8
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(30 reviews)

6 editions

holds up and better than I expected

Pop history of technology and neuroscience, the mental processes of books vs media embedded in distraction, the ongoing plasticity of our minds to optimize towards what we attend to, failures of hypermedia in education and adtech-driven fragmentation of thought.

Review of 'The Shallows' on 'Goodreads'

Extremely interesting, very well readable book on how the digital media and tools we consume and use, affect our brains. I was shocked to find out how radically memory, attention span and even empathy are influenced by these tools. I already was sceptical of these technologies and the prominent role they have in our everyday lives, but this book truly convinced me of the importance of de-digitalizing some parts of life.
Highly recommend!

None

Overall, it's okay and I find it making some compelling arguments for the shift in thinking that's been enforced by more technology but it spends more time centering on the medium rather than the way that it's been used. If the issue is truly overstimulation, we can find ways to reel back the stimulation while still maintaining the benefits of tech. Along with missing that significant distinction, it feels a bit out of date. That's solely the result of tech being a moving target that's easy to miss and the book being over a decade old at this point. Perhaps it's a testament to its presience but I'd probably say you should spend more time reading "Irresistible" by Adam Alter. If you find yourself still wanting more on the ethics and impact of tech, this is certainly worth the while but not something I'd recommend as a top-level view.

Review of 'The Shallows' on 'Goodreads'

Maybe it's just because I've been doing a lot of reading and thinking in these areas already, or maybe it's because 11 years have elapsed since the book was written, but I honestly found less meat on these bones than I'd hoped for.

There's a good case to be made for the idea that consuming much of our information through the internet rewires our brains and shortens our attention spans. And honestly, I know few people who would argue against that idea these days -- we all feel some of that "I used to be able to read a whole book/article/paragraph!" malaise.

The interesting, "yes, and…" discussion is what we do about it, how we fight that shortening of capacity for sustained attention, and the author touches only very lightly on that, the portion of the conversation that feels most vital to me right now.

It did, however, make me …

Review of 'The Shallows' on 'Goodreads'

Many books I've ready about the Internet and society seem outdated and naive very shortly after they're published. A large part of this book is not about the Internet at all, but rather takes a historical perspective of advancements that have come before it - writing, mass literacy, the printing press and typewriters - and the hopes and fears that people had for them when they emerged. Creating and consuming information in ways which have deep effects on the ways our minds work is nothing new, but the level of distraction that the Internet now presents us with is perhaps unprecedented. Don't be put off by the fact that this book was published in 2011 when smart phones were in their infancy and before presidents governed via Twitter, if you have a mobile, read a news website or use social media, read this.

None

I've been interested in this subject for a while now, especially seeing as I've noticed certain "changes" to myself with increased internet usage. The book started off a bit differently to what I had hoped, since the author mostly starts by explaining neuroscience and its history and later on the history of written language and books and what effects they've had on our brains.
A lot of the neurological changes the author touches upon are ones I have noticed in myself as well. While I did not fully agree with every argument put forth in this book, I agree with the majority and I believe it's one of the most important books to read at a time where the Internet has become an even more integral part of every day life than it was back when this book was written.

Review of 'The Shallows' on 'Goodreads'

I've been interested in this subject for a while now, especially seeing as I've noticed certain "changes" to myself with increased internet usage. The book started off a bit differently to what I had hoped, since the author mostly starts by explaining neuroscience and its history and later on the history of written language and books and what effects they've had on our brains.
A lot of the neurological changes the author touches upon are ones I have noticed in myself as well. While I did not fully agree with every argument put forth in this book, I agree with the majority and I believe it's one of the most important books to read at a time where the Internet has become an even more integral part of every day life than it was back when this book was written.

Review of 'The Shallows' on Goodreads

II enjoyed the beginning of this book. Carr introduces his arguments clearly with very interesting examples. In the last third of the book, however, things were drawn out a little bit and my attention wandered. The Final conclusion is an apt evaluation of our current society.

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Subjects

  • Physiological effect
  • Internet
  • Neuropsychology
  • Psychological aspects