The new issue of Wired features an excerpt from my new book, The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. The excerpt draws on material from the chapter of the book entitled “The Juggler’s Brain,” in which I examine an array of research on how the Internet and networked computers are influencing our mental habits and altering the way we think. (For those of a scientific bent, I should note that the chapter itself, which is considerably longer than the excerpt, surveys many more studies than could be accommodated in the Wired piece.)
I previously listed blurbs for the book provided by early readers. Some other early reviews have also appeared. You can find excerpts on the reviews page of the book site.
Insightful.
So, How does this translate to devices in the Product world.
Kindle is the long form enabling the passage of information from working memory of the brain the its long memory and iPad is the Shallow form.
But,as with all other things in life, iPad will certainly sell far more.
I´d love to read your new book … but only on the Kindle. Will there be a Kindle version and if so, when?
Yes, there will be a Kindle edition. It’s in the works and should be out in a couple of weeks.
I strongly recommend the print version, though. Big surprise.
Great post, Nick, and I enjoyed the article in Wired. Looking forward to the book (as I suffer many of these maladies.) I’m wondering, where the rewiring of our brains happens so quickly, if there won’t be a set of exercises developed that will maintain the “long and deep” thinking we also need to do. In other words, for 30 minutes every day I need to sit by myself in a quiet spot, without interruption and read a (paper) book. I’m even hoping, with a balanced menu of “brain exercises,” we can expand our capabilities for both rapid skimming and deep, creative thought. And maybe even for dreaming. . .which I may be doing by hoping for this!
Nick,
Marshall McLuhan really hit the nail on the head 50 years ago when he stated that electronic media was going to create the new ‘tribal man’ and ‘global village. (as seen @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C6FDcUutj8)
Your work seems to take this premise to even a deeper level, showing more evidence in ways that McLuhan could only dream about. I’m extremely appreciative of your ability to get this information out since I’m often surprised how few people are truly cognitive of the changes currently happening to them and their culture.
I do expect you will receive an extensive amount of hostility by particular elements within our culture (especially those who are financially invested in it and/or blindly mesmerized by it), but that’s the natural response when you wake up people who are ‘sleep walking’ into the future.
Nick,
You would love this…pay attention to the lyrics. Can’t exactly say why it is relevant here, but it is.
Your Latest Trick
Regards,
Crazyfinger
Great book! I “read” it in a few hours.
Just worked a quote from The Shallows into my post proposing that Socrates’ fears about the externalization of knowledge is actually coming to pass in our relationships, thanks to social media. Thank you for your insight, love the book and hope to see you at SXSW Interactive.