Since the beginning of our generation, technology has been readily available to us. We have become so accustomed to the obtainability of computers, televisions, cell phones, iPods, and iPads that their constant and unlimited presence has created an apathetic nature within our generation. This apathy has become so prominent within our lifestyles, that we won’t even take the time to read directions on how to use any of these technological outlets. The amount of information that our brains analyze every day due to this influx in technology is a main source of what leads to this apathetic attitude.
According to Sharon Begley’s article, the constant stream of text messages, tweets, Facebook posts, e-mails, etc. produces a “cognitive and information overload.” The brain reaches a point where it can no longer store these mass amounts of information into long-term memory. What this then boils down to is the recency effect. It no longer becomes a matter of what information is the most intriguing or cerebral, but what is the most recent and available. People don’t have the time to sit down and read a novel or to contemplate and analyze a research paper. We need immediate and straight to the point results.
In an attempt to gather these results quickly and in mass bulks, we tend to take shortcuts, such as scanning. As discussed in Christine Rosen’s article, when reading a book, a news article, or web content, we tend to “scan” the material as opposed to reading and comprehending it in depth. We pick out key words or phrases, our eyes constantly moving to a new paragraph or image. This is apathy at its finest. Our need to gather and process information without effort has become the nature of our generation. As technology continues to advance, so will the human need for faster and easier information accessibility. Ask yourself, when will it be enough?