Technologically Inebriated

[MrJim]

Does all this easy access to knowledge ever really come up and smack ya? I was wandering through a Rite-Aid drugstore the other day and some old song that sounded familiar was playing but I could not remember much about it. I caught the tune, some key words, went home and googled and there it was. Some clips of the band singin' the tune (circa 1972), lyrics to the song, bio about the band, etc. I got to pondering it that evening at work and it dawned on me how easy it is to find out so much stuff with so little effort. I used to spend all kinds of time at libraries digging stuff outta books and now the work is already done for me. I can easily spend the rest of my life researching stuff.

It dawns on me that this is all too much like being drunk, except it's sorta like being drunk on knowledge and information...

 

[ReformedChapin]

I aint complaining about wealth of information available in my finger tips.

 

[MrJim]

I aint complaining about wealth of information available in my finger tips.

It is fun, no doubt about it. Costs less and is faster than the old way (buying journals/papers/magazines/books and/or going to different libraries and sorting through the card catalogs..sometimes miss the old days

I don't take it for granted, bet my kids and this generation will though...

 

[ladyt28]

I have spent HOURS digging through places like the Smithsonian and NASA!

 

[Hentenza]

Does all this easy access to knowledge ever really come up and smack ya? I was wandering through a Rite-Aid drugstore the other day and some old song that sounded familiar was playing but I could not remember much about it. I caught the tune, some key words, went home and googled and there it was. Some clips of the band singin' the tune (circa 1972), lyrics to the song, bio about the band, etc. I got to pondering it that evening at work and it dawned on me how easy it is to find out so much stuff with so little effort. I used to spend all kinds of time at libraries digging stuff outta books and now the work is already done for me. I can easily spend the rest of my life researching stuff.

It dawns on me that this is all too much like being drunk, except it's sorta like being drunk on knowledge and information...

LOL!!!! I still remember during my years in college doing research for a paper by looking through hundreds of library index cards just to have to cross-reference to other authors when the book was checked out. Or just having to wait for the book to come back in.

These kids don't know how good they have it.

 

[Cris413]

Does all this easy access to knowledge ever really come up and smack ya? I was wandering through a Rite-Aid drugstore the other day and some old song that sounded familiar was playing but I could not remember much about it. I caught the tune, some key words, went home and googled and there it was. Some clips of the band singin' the tune (circa 1972), lyrics to the song, bio about the band, etc. I got to pondering it that evening at work and it dawned on me how easy it is to find out so much stuff with so little effort. I used to spend all kinds of time at libraries digging stuff outta books and now the work is already done for me. I can easily spend the rest of my life researching stuff.

It dawns on me that this is all too much like being drunk, except it's sorta like being drunk on knowledge and information...

I was thinking the same thing not too long ago.

I love websters online...I could finally get rid of the giant dictionary that really didn't fit in my bookcase.

Problem is...ALL the info on the web...it can be really difficult to sort through as to what is realiable...and what's just cyber junk.

wikipedia is a good example....I use wikipedia...but with caution. While I find the info interesting...not sure how valid much of it is.

 

[Sphinx777]

Have any of you seen this thread?

Do you suffer from Infornography?

 

[StreetPreacher82]

Could your worry be that it is dumbing us down? I worry that sometimes myself!

 

[PreachersWife2004]

When our internet connection goes wonky, I feel lost. Literally. Mapquest is my map to the world. I love the virtual yellow pages. I love having information for my school stuff at the tips of my fingers.

And I might enjoy the gaming/social aspect of it a bit, too.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Have any of you seen this thread?

Do you suffer from Infornography?

Ahh...that explains why I am so drawn to useless trivia!!

 

[Apollo Celestio]

I suppose you're all right. A good thing to remind us "youngsters" about.

 

[CyberPaladin]

So Jim you want the good old days back huh you know when the average life expectancy was 25 and they blamed deaths from common illness like the flu on ghosts.

 

[Cris413]

So Jim you want the good old days back huh you know when the average life expectancy was 25 and they blamed deaths from common illness like the flu on ghosts.

LOL...I've got 20 years on you CP...and even "back in the day" my day...life expectancy was a bit longer than 25...

I do remember though...thinking when my grandmother died at age 68...that she had a long life...now 68 seems young...specially since that's only 20 years away for me...

...if the Lord doesn't return first....

 

[porterross]

Heck, I even find myself getting irritated that Google can't read my mind.

 

[WalksWithChrist]

Does all this easy access to knowledge ever really come up and smack ya? I was wandering through a Rite-Aid drugstore the other day and some old song that sounded familiar was playing but I could not remember much about it. I caught the tune, some key words, went home and googled and there it was. Some clips of the band singin' the tune (circa 1972), lyrics to the song, bio about the band, etc. I got to pondering it that evening at work and it dawned on me how easy it is to find out so much stuff with so little effort. I used to spend all kinds of time at libraries digging stuff outta books and now the work is already done for me. I can easily spend the rest of my life researching stuff.

It dawns on me that this is all too much like being drunk, except it's sorta like being drunk on knowledge and information...

This phenom has been coined "data smog" by information scientists.
http://www.amazon.com/Data-Smog-Surviving-Information-Glut/dp/0060187018

And I use this "power" to share this with you all!! Oh irony...


I found an old rap song from the 80s like that last week that I had virtually forgotten about. Magic's Wand. Google it up! lol

Simply amazing the stuff you can dig up with minimal info. I am still in awe and I'm online all the time and have been for a good while now.

I was thinking the same thing not too long ago.

I love websters online...I could finally get rid of the giant dictionary that really didn't fit in my bookcase.

Problem is...ALL the info on the web...it can be really difficult to sort through as to what is realiable...and what's just cyber junk.

wikipedia is a good example....I use wikipedia...but with caution. While I find the info interesting...not sure how valid much of it is.

Us web denizens must be ever vigilant!

Could your worry be that it is dumbing us down? I worry that sometimes myself!

Yes. When info comes to easy, I think we do lose some aspect of thought and processing that used to come from finding it.

If "getting there is half the fun," then if you can "get there" in .00786 seconds...what happened to the fun?? lol

Heck, I even find myself getting irritated that Google can't read my mind.

HA!
(but it can...)

 

[MrJim]

So Jim you want the good old days back huh you know when the average life expectancy was 25 and they blamed deaths from common illness like the flu on ghosts.

So that'd be like the 1200s or something? You kids are spoiled rotten...