Since 2011, my memory had been deteriorating and i was seriously worried. I went to see my regular family doctor three times about this problem. After a thorough medical check-up, he advised me to take gingko on a regular basis. Months down the road, there was little improvement and he advised me to go for tests and scans. One thing or sure was that my past memories are intact. I have no problems recalling lyrics of very old songs or sequences of events as far back as mid 1960's. The problem was with recent memories. I took many quizzes/tests for Alzheimer's and the results all confirmed that I do not have Alzheimer's. However, I still wondered what was the causal factor that caused me to be more forgetful. And then I came across this article in Wired.
Author Nicholas Carr: The Web Shatters Focus, Rewires Brains
Following that, I did background reading on Nicholas Carr and came across this article:
Is Google Making Us Stupid? by Nicholas Carr.
Published in June 2011, Nicholas Carr's book was a finalist in the 2011 Pulitzer Prize in General Non-fiction. You can read other review in the Amazon site HERE.
I was stunned by William Timothy Lukeman's review in Amazon where he said:
In this short but informative, thought-provoking book, Nicholas Carr presents an argument I've long felt to be true on a humanist level, but supports it with considerable scientific research. In fact, he speaks as a longtime computer enthusiast, one who's come to question what he once wholeheartedly embraced ... and even now, he takes care to distinguish between the beneficial & detrimental aspects of the Internet.
The argument in question?
- Greater access to knowledge is not the same as greater knowledge.
- An ever-increasing plethora of facts & data is not the same as wisdom.
- Breadth of knowledge is not the same as depth of knowledge.
- Multitasking is not the same as complexity
Not to be missed is Emily St. John Mandel's review in The Millions.
Finally, here's the good news. You can read/download Nicholas Carr's book AT THIS LINK.
As such, I have drastically cut down on my internet usage and only read articles on health, technology, humour, literature and a few other topics. Staying away from local news (except headlines on Twitter) has been very good for me. The changed reading habit and increased intake of lecithin and virgin coconut oil has greatly improved my memory and concentration level. Anyway, do check out the links and read the book. Have a wonderful weekend.
Taikohtai I think its the mobile phone that is even more dangerous. Heavy users suffer from cooked brains, no? Do call me to confirm, on my mobile phone number 040302.....oops, sorry, can't remember last 4 digits :).