[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.04,0:00:03.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you are reading an article online when you get an instant message
Dialogue: 0,0:00:03.07,0:00:05.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with a link to a funny photo, which of course you have to share.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.47,0:00:07.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And now you are reading your Facebook News Wall,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.30,0:00:09.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which sends you to a video of a panda bear attacking a kid.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.57,0:00:11.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And now you are reading Wikipedia to learn everything you can
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.70,0:00:13.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about the violent behavior of panda bears.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:13.51,0:00:17.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this is what 3 minutes on the internet can be like.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.47,0:00:21.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We live like this all the time, and it has to have some kind of effect on us.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.56,0:00:25.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The net is making us more superficial as thinkers.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:25.06,0:00:26.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That is Nicholas Carr.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.57,0:00:30.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He is the author of, "The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to our Brains."
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.29,0:00:33.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To understand this whole thing better, we need to go way back in time,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.45,0:00:35.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to say, like, the prehistoric age.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.60,0:00:38.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You wanted to know everything going on around you
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.74,0:00:40.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because the more you knew about your surroundings,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.83,0:00:44.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the less likely you were to get attacked by a predator.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.08,0:00:48.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And there's even evidence that our brains release some dopamine
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.06,0:00:51.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- a pleasure inducing neurotransmitter chemical
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.57,0:00:55.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- to reward us for seeking out and finding new information.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.81,0:00:59.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, getting distracted felt good and helped us stay alive.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.06,0:01:02.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the problem is that nowadays, predators aren't much of an issue,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.48,0:01:04.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but we still have the same brains.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.39,0:01:07.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And also, there's the internet, which is...
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.33,0:01:13.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's an incredibly information-rich environment that the net creates for us.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.36,0:01:14.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's why we use it so much.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.85,0:01:18.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, sounds, pictures, words, texts.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.41,0:01:22.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what this tends to do is promote a sort of compulsive behavior
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.77,0:01:25.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in which we are constantly checking your smart phone,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.06,0:01:27.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,constantly glancing at our email inbox.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.44,0:01:32.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're kind of living in this perpetual state of distraction and interruption.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.17,0:01:33.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which is dangerous because...
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.87,0:01:38.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That mode of thinking crowds out the more contemplative calmer modes of thinking.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:38.50,0:01:41.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that focused, calm thinking is actually how we learn.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.98,0:01:44.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a process called memory consolidation.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.78,0:01:50.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that means the transfer of information from our short term working memory,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.30,0:01:52.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to our long term memory.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.48,0:01:57.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's through moving information from your working memory
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.15,0:02:01.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to your long term memory that you create connections
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.27,0:02:04.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,between that information and everything else you know.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.53,0:02:07.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you've got this awesome, life-changing piece of information
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.64,0:02:09.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in your short term memory,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.09,0:02:12.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but then you hear that email ding, and, there it goes.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.75,0:02:16.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That email takes its place, and you never get a chance to learn anything,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.31,0:02:18.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all because of one distraction.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.13,0:02:20.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So attention is the key.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.02,0:02:25.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if we lose control of our attention, or are constantly dividing our attention,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.51,0:02:29.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then we don't really enjoy that consolidation process.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.54,0:02:32.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I can hear it now, someone is out there saying,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.44,0:02:34.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Uh, what does learning matter
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.35,0:02:37.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if all of the information in the world is just a Google search away?"
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.40,0:02:39.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well...
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.47,0:02:43.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That is is kind of short-changing our intellects.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.85,0:02:45.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If that's the way you're using your mind,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.97,0:02:49.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just kind of searching very quickly and finding information
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.12,0:02:50.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then forgetting it very quickly,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.86,0:02:52.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you're never building knowledge.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.78,0:02:55.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You're simply, you're, you're kind of thinking like a computer.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:55.52,0:02:58.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which means that our very humanity is at stake.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.74,0:03:00.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it would be a shame if we all got assimilated,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.99,0:03:03.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because, well, humanity is pretty neat.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.49,0:03:08.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I really believe that if you look at the great monuments of culture,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.43,0:03:14.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they come from people who are able to pay attention, who control their mind.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.06,0:03:18.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's what allows us to think in the highest terms
Dialogue: 0,0:03:18.42,0:03:24.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and think conceptually, think critically, think in some very creative ways.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.18,0:03:26.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's this kind of thinking that's at risk:
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.61,0:03:29.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,being eroded, one cute cat video at a time.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.72,0:03:30.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Don't get us wrong:
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.45,0:03:33.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The internet is good for lots of things, and it should be celebrated.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.75,0:03:37.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the best thing we can do for our minds is to find some time every day
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.33,0:03:41.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to unplug, calm down, and focus on one thing at a time.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.72,0:03:45.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Your email and those cats will be here when you get back.