Susan Greenfield is a neuroscientist, writer, broadcaster and the first baroness to appear on That's Not My Age. The professor of pharmacology at Oxford University specialises in the physiology of the brain, wears a biker jacket not a lab coat, and doesn't do Facebook or Twitter. And last night, I heard her talk - very quickly - about, 'Finding humanity in a world of technology' at The Anne Frank Lecture. The 61-year-old scientist says that cyber culture impacts on the brain and that time spent using social media leads to obsessive behaviour, plus a decline in empathy and the ability to understand body language. She's referring mainly to the Facebook generation and quoted from the book Alone Together by Sherry Turkle, to highlight her concerns, 'The more connected we are, the more isolated we become'.
Personally speaking, the more time I spend social networking, the less time I have to do other things, like get ready for work (I started writing this when I should have been eating my porridge/getting dressed this morning - and am finishing it off in my lunch break). And so everything becomes a last-minute panic. On one occasion, I was so engrossed with Twitter on the station platform, I actually missed the train. Technology is not always a good thing.
Anyhow. BSG has compiled a 'History of Blogging' time line, which I thought you might appreciate:
1999
Blogger: look what my cat did.
2004
Flickr: cat pictures!
2005
YouTube: OMG. Moving cats.
2007: Twitter
1pm: my cat sneezed.
1.02pm: my cat sneezed again.
1.04pm: my cat hasn't sneezed recently. Getting worried.
As this year's favourite for the TNMA Style Begins at Forty Best Dressed Scientist Award points out, 'We have the potential to stretch our minds with technology, or become glassy-eyed zombies saying "yuck" and "wow."' Thought-provoking stuff.
Have you noticed the impact of technology on your mind?
Photo: Telegraph
How could we have met without it?
ReplyDeleteBut seriously... I have become more connected (in a different way of course) to many people with the advent of this technology. So we don't meet for lunch— we meet for breakfast. Using you as an example, I love what you have to say in your blog and appreciate that you read mine. Perhaps this is the ultimate intellectual connection.
this is a very timely post for me. i have noticed that i am becoming increasingly cranky while on the internet. all the new blogger changes maybe? anyway, i'm thinking of cutting back - way back to the time i spend each day on-line. i love information and use that as an excuse to be on-line but it is literally sucking my life away.
ReplyDeletelove that timeline - so true.
I do agree that technology is sapping time. I find I don't read nearly as much as I used to because I'm surfing blogs instead. Like now... (I can't really bring myself to like Susan Greenfield; she agreed, about a year in advance, to speak at a conference which my brother was running, and then pulled out really close to the conference, so no time to get another prestigious speaker. The reason, which I can't fully remember, wasn't that important like unavoidable illness but some other offer which she obviously deemed better/more fun. I've not really had much time for her ever since.)
ReplyDeleteAhh...a thought provoking post...oh I so enjoyed my lovely visit...thank you my dear!
ReplyDeleteMichellebeth - oh I love blogging and have met lots of fabulous people - like your good self! - it's just as Gardener's Cottage and Jo Crisp agree, it does sap time. As well as spending my life in a frantic last-minute panic, I read far fewer books these days. Which is not a good thing.
ReplyDeleteJo - sorry to hear about your BSG experience. Sounds very frustrating.
Not forgetting Pinterest - photos of other people's cats!
ReplyDeleteI love her take it is funny & thought provoking but I have found I've read more since twitter. Blogging is more circumspect. I'm really only reading a few and avoiding flicker, tumble, pinterest as it has all becoem a bit vacuous/samey in the fashion blogosphere plus I loathe the appropriation of bloggers by companies making them 'ambassadors' in their marketing strategies.
ReplyDeleteBut twitter is more - I find more intellectual demands are placed upon me and I've read some great pieces due to RTs and links.
I too have missed a train due to reading twitter...
The debate is interesting, but wasn't all of this said about TV, radio, the telephone in their day? Anything new is suspicious. I would rather my children spend time interacting online than mindlessly staring a the tv for hours on end (which is what I did!) Contrary to popular belief, my son's writing, spelling and grammar has actually improved since he interacts with a group of intelligent gamers who don't want their group brought down by lesser individuals.
ReplyDeleteThe broad brush 'social networking is bad' simply doesn't make sense with the breadth of offering that there is online. And like everything in life it is about moderation and self control.
that's hilarious....re-cats....I do feel the more ways we have to communicate the less we actually do and for that reason I don't do the facebook or the twitter!!
ReplyDeleteThat's so funny.
ReplyDeleteMuch as I love blogging and the wonderful women I've met through it it does make a refreshing change to spend a month away from the internet and just live rather than see it as a photo opportunity. x
The internet has ( I guess ) filled my need to watch TV and buy magazines.
ReplyDeleteI read the latest news from net too.
I have my blog, but don´t belong to Facebook nor follow any of the other stuff mentioned in the previous comments.
True, I don´t read as many books, as I´d wish to.
But I do like the interactiveness internet provides.
I am not complaining : ).
Well, I recently deactivated my Facebook because I came to feel that it was intrusive. I greatly enjoy reading and writing blogs and in some ways I think it has developed some social habits in me. By nature, I'm a bit of an introvert. But, I am also old enough to have been trained in the old ways...an advantage that many of my students no longer have. I notice too that technology has contributed to a certain impatience.
ReplyDeleteVery thoughtful and intriguing post. I think blogging is very seductive and I spend hours composing post, reading and commenting on my favorite blogs. It's difficult to find a balance, but much food for thought here. Also, The Baronees is stunning and I would not know about her without my immersion in this world!
ReplyDeleteGreat post - I think we all secretly know this but we need to be reminded. I hear you on the getting ready for work thing!! I've been switching off from social media more regularly off late. Too much is definitely unhealthy.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Baroness - wow! What an inspirational woman on so many levels.