The Internet and Books
In the past, knowledge was contained in books. Nowadays, knowledge is uploaded to the internet.
Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
It is a fact of modern life that most information today is stored online, rather than in physical books as it was in the past. In my opinion, this is a negative overall despite its obvious conveniences.
Supporters of this trend can point to the numerous ways knowledge kept online can be disseminated and used. Online information is almost universally accessible, narrowing socioeconomic differences in society and allowing for various conveniences. First of all, users can find relevant information on search engines from a wide range of sources including user-generated sites like Wikipedia to news outlets like The New York Times and academic journals as well. Once an individual locates the information they are looking for, it is also easier to search within that article, share it with others, have it wherever they go and store more than would be possible if it were a hard copy.
Nonetheless, storing information online encourages a dependence on computer technology that is harmful for the human mind. In the past, if a person wanted to research a given topic, they would have to check out a library book or talk with an expert. This process was much slower and open to the possibility of bias. However, it also meant that individuals were more conscientious and patiently learned from fuller, more nuanced sources. Nowadays, most people read short articles, hastily written to attract more clicks and generate advertising revenue. These tap into a fundamental human need to be constantly engaged and feeling pleasure. Over time, this has led to a generation addicted to devices, lacking the healthy habits engendered by careful research and study.
In conclusion, despite the handiness of online information, the impact on the human psyche makes this a negative trend on level. Individuals must themselves find ways to counter these potentially injurious effects.
VOCABULARY
- a fact of modern life true about the world now
- stored online kept on the internet
- physical books real books
- negative overall bad in general
- obvious conveniences clearly helpful
- supporters of this trend those in favour of it
- point to argue about
- numerous ways many methods
- disseminated spread around
- almost universally accessible nearly used by everyone
- narrowing socioeconomic differences less difference between classes
- allowing for opening up the possibility of
- first of all firstly
- relevant information what you are looking for
- search engines Google, etc.
- wide range of sources many places to find information
- user-generated sites websites where people visiting create the content
- news outlets the media
- academic journals formal papers, magazines
- locates finds
- search within find inside of
- share give to others
- more than would be possible couldn’t happen with
- hard copy real edition
- nonetheless regardless
- encourages makes people want to
- dependence can’t stop using
- harmful injurious
- a given topic whatever they are looking up
- check out take out
- expert person who knows a lot
- process steps
- possibility of bias maybe prejudiced
- conscientious careful
- patiently slowly and carefully
- fuller, more nuanced sources more complete articles, books
- hastily written quickly written
- attract more clicks get more people to go to it
- generate advertising revenue make money
- tap into exploit
- fundamental human basic human
- constantly engaged always occupied
- feeling pleasure happy
- over time in the long-term
- led to caused
- generation group of people around the same age
- addicted to devices can’t stop using phones
- lacking not having
- healthy habits good habits
- engendered by created by
- despite regardless of
- handiness convenience
- human psyche human mind, psychology
- on level overall
- counter fight against
- potentially injurious effects possibly harmful results
