Comments on: RE: SMCQ14 Dumbing Down or Getting Smart? http://www.socialmediaclub.org/2009/06/17/re-smcq14-dumbing-down-or-getting-smart/ A community for the champions of Social Media and those seeking to learn Sun, 14 Mar 2010 09:31:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Will Porterfield http://www.socialmediaclub.org/2009/06/17/re-smcq14-dumbing-down-or-getting-smart/comment-page-1/#comment-196146 Will Porterfield Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:07:09 +0000 http://www.socialmediaclub.org/?p=770#comment-196146 I completely agree! Not only does Twitter limit our creative/critical thinking but it also individualizes our already over-individualized society. I'm not a communist or anything, but I think the internet could be used for bringing everyone together for collective thought, brainstorming, creativity, art, etc., which requires more than 140 characters to do!!! I know of a brand new website that's aiming for such ideals called VOO! check it out at www.veryvoo.com I completely agree! Not only does Twitter limit our creative/critical thinking but it also individualizes our already over-individualized society. I’m not a communist or anything, but I think the internet could be used for bringing everyone together for collective thought, brainstorming, creativity, art, etc., which requires more than 140 characters to do!!!

I know of a brand new website that’s aiming for such ideals called VOO!
check it out at http://www.veryvoo.com

]]> By: Katie http://www.socialmediaclub.org/2009/06/17/re-smcq14-dumbing-down-or-getting-smart/comment-page-1/#comment-196073 Katie Fri, 19 Jun 2009 07:39:10 +0000 http://www.socialmediaclub.org/?p=770#comment-196073 What an interesting post. For me social media is not dumbing down our collective consiousness. It is merely provide a new platform of conversation. In contemporary society, people may not have the time to read a book and tell people what they think of it, Twiter allows them to make a contribution to a dialogue. I feel it is reveloutionary. Thanks, Katie What an interesting post.

For me social media is not dumbing down our collective consiousness. It is merely provide a new platform of conversation. In contemporary society, people may not have the time to read a book and tell people what they think of it, Twiter allows them to make a contribution to a dialogue.

I feel it is reveloutionary.

Thanks,

Katie

]]> By: Catherine Novak http://www.socialmediaclub.org/2009/06/17/re-smcq14-dumbing-down-or-getting-smart/comment-page-1/#comment-196065 Catherine Novak Thu, 18 Jun 2009 03:15:24 +0000 http://www.socialmediaclub.org/?p=770#comment-196065 I have no doubt that interacting with these short, sharp blasts of information, often without context, change the wiring of our minds. But that doesn't mean they are deteriorating - it's just different. Frankly, we've been losing our ability to memorize ever since we've become a text-based information culture, hundreds of years ago. But that doesn't make "literate" cultures dumber than "oral-tradition" cultures. It just means that are brains are rewiring themselves in response to the stimulus we give them, and the jobs we ask them to do. Meanwhile, our access to excellent information (as well as complete drivel) grows exponentially. I was just introduced to the work of anthropologist/digital ethnographer Michael Wesch. It's fabulously thought-provoking work, which has great overlap with what Social Media Club is doing. And I found his info thanks to a link on Twitter. To me, that's not dumbing down, it's opening up the world's libraries and inviting people in. I have no doubt that interacting with these short, sharp blasts of information, often without context, change the wiring of our minds. But that doesn’t mean they are deteriorating – it’s just different.

Frankly, we’ve been losing our ability to memorize ever since we’ve become a text-based information culture, hundreds of years ago. But that doesn’t make “literate” cultures dumber than “oral-tradition” cultures. It just means that are brains are rewiring themselves in response to the stimulus we give them, and the jobs we ask them to do. Meanwhile, our access to excellent information (as well as complete drivel) grows exponentially.

I was just introduced to the work of anthropologist/digital ethnographer Michael Wesch. It’s fabulously thought-provoking work, which has great overlap with what Social Media Club is doing. And I found his info thanks to a link on Twitter. To me, that’s not dumbing down, it’s opening up the world’s libraries and inviting people in.

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