Literacy Habits

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Literacy Habits

Compare and contrast your literacy habits with your peers, family members, or other person or group you are very familiar with.

As Nicholas Carr argues in his book, people in the present world are indeed moving away from book reading and newspaper reading which need a lot f brain energy to process and understand. This kind f lifestyle, even though perfect for a person who is in a hurry, Carr states that it is not all utterly healthy as people do not realize what they are getting themselves in but rather get themselves into it because of the ease of the ability to enhance a person’s knowledge beyond the mere reading (Carr, 2020). Therefore, with this kind of technology at the service of most people, it becomes challenging for them to retreat to books which are mainly considered only fashion in the current society. This paper discusses the distinction between the two types of intelligence obtained either through the internet or through books using my example and my sister.

In the book ‘The Shallows,’ Carr focuses on discussing two types of intelligence, which brings out a clear comparison between the age of computers and the age of print media. He states that during the period of print media, life was more productive and healthier. These can be attributed to the fact that people used to read in-depth stories and books during print media. Through this reading, the ability to conceptualize a situation and understand concepts was achievable. Therefore, he suggests even though the present-day presents itself with new technology, it is not the best method of studying anything which needs a person’s total concentration and complete comprehension of what is required to be understood.

The new technology of the internet and computers presents itself with brevity which at times is not healthy for a person to read since the deep concepts which are found in books are removed when it comes to the internet because of speed and the ability to read something is what is needed most in the current world (Carr, 2020). However, in the desire to be perfect and brief, the real meaning of intelligence is lost. This is the exact argument I have had with my younger sister for an extended period. She thinks that she can find everything there and read because she has a smartphone and a tablet. However, my perspective is different since I have interacted with the gadgets, and I would support Carr in his argument that the devices we now own are taking so much away from us. I tried studying using a tablet, and I thought the information I was getting was perfect for a long time. However, with time I realized how much I was losing.

The intelligence deficiency came from remembering how my dad read me bedtime stories and encouraged me to read novels. I had connected with these stories to a deep level. When I began using my tablet to study, I realized that the stories and the news and the information I read from the internet did not have a deep connection or information I needed. Therefore, I shifted towards print media for studies. This has been one of my most outstanding achievements since my brain is fully involved, and I can fully relate to the issues presented in a hardcopy book. My sister continues to boast of how good she is at the internet and how it helps her study better since she can quickly google content that she does not know. However, even though our literacy habits are opposed, I have lived both paths, and I am hoping she will come around with time.

Reference

Carr, N. (2020). The shallows: What the Internet is doing to our brains. WW Norton & Company.