The technology we create is driving us towards stupidity.
We have smart phones, smart TVs and smart cars.
We are developing smart products quicker than we kill off brain cells.
I am not sure, there may be a causal relationship between the two. Drinking while using a cell phone probably doubles down on the loss.
The more we don’t have to do for ourselves the more things we can forget and then just plain can’t do anymore.
Do you remember important phone numbers? No of course not because your smart phone does it for you. Just don’t lose it without backing up those numbers because your brain won’t help you out. Without having to use those numbers you might as well make them up and the woman you keep calling Aunt Edna is going to have some some questions for you.
Maybe we need to work on smart humans.
There are many indications that we should have started on that years ago.
What indications are that Dan? (Sorry, it’s a habit I developed during the Covid-19 lock down. Hey at least I’ve stopped answering out loud.)
Some indications are glaringly obvious and others we are not aware of until something is needed like the aforementioned phone numbers.
On to the obvious clue captain.
One obvious indication is the spread of conspiracy theories. Never have so many people believed in outlandish accusations not supported by any facts.
Sure some of the blame falls on the ease in which “alternative facts”spread on the internet but according to experts those that are the most apt to believe in conspiracy theories lack critical thinking skills.
Did they always lack them or did laziness caused by smart technology overcome any critical thinking skills they had.
I believe the contagion factor is also helped along by good SEO (Search Engine Optimization ) practices which dictates that internet articles be short and easy to understand. I use a writing app that analyzes something I’ve written and identifies problems if one wants to appeal to the general population. One of those problems is that the writing is too difficult to read. What is too difficult you might ask? Any writing above a seventh grade level is your answer. That is the education level of the average American adult.
We are not doing anyone a favor by not challenging them to use a dictionary or dictionary App to those who have never heard there is a book for that. Maybe the word dictionary is above a seventh grade level? I for one am purposely not following good SEO practices. This article is considered difficult to read by SEO standards.