After reading about Google and how it is causing everyone to lose the ability to read longer passages and concentrate I took a step back: do I do this? I wasn’t sure then, and I’m not sure now. I’d like to think I can read for extended periods of time and really focus in on something. In fact, I feel that when I do homework this way I have better results.
It was interesting to me that Nietzsche’s writing changed to be more like a telegraph when he started using a typewriter instead of pen and paper. I feel that at this point in my life, I may actually be more capable of prose on a computer than I am on paper. I do most of my writing on a computer right now because I have to for my classes. The only time I hand write is in class when I take notes. Does that mean I’m the opposite of what Carr is suggesting? Am I only this way because I am expected to type my assignments in MLA format? I guess it’s hard to tell at this point. We also grew up using computers at an earlier age than Nicholas Carr did (I’m assuming) and it is possible that we know how to keep our prose the same regardless of if we are writing or typing. As for reading long texts, I do not think I feel the need to jump around and skim an article if it is longer than three paragraphs. If it is interesting to me; I want to read it. Maybe switching to more technology later in life has these effects but we were born at the right time not to feel them? Am I wrong here? Does anyone else feel they are not incapable of reading for long periods of time and can type and write in the same style? If you do feel a difference, is it in concentration or the style of writing?
I would agree with you, but I think that we are in an interesting position as people who have spent part of our lives with and without computers and typing. I don’t have difficulty reading for extended period of time. I don’t know what would’ve happened if I had been forced to change from writing to typing later in my life, but I think that would’ve had a much more significant impact on my ability to function than transitioning at a younger age has. I would agree that I tend to deep read things better when I find them interesting.
While I agree with both you and tb715 that deep reading is much easier to do when the article or book is more interesting to me, I also believe that I am more capable of deep reading and being hyper-attentive then my peers. This is because my brain has “superpowers” and I am capable of deep reading whilst multitasking. I am not trying to brag about my awesomeness in this post, but merely point out the fact that it is possible to do both. I am also in the same boat as you Kelly, in that I have to type all of my assignments for class. In high school my one teacher preferred hand written assignments, but because my hand writing was so bad I was asked to type mine. The only thing I disagree with is the question can you type and write in the same style. When I type I write much quicker and do not plan out what I am going to say as much because I can always edit it. When I write, particularly in cursive, I find it much harder to write quickly and instead take my time since it is harder to edit. This is why I type assignments that I know I will be editing, but write things out, like in my prayer journal, when I need to really think about what I am writing down.