'Addicted To Distractions' By Tony Schwartz: Article Analysis

Through Richard Morrison in Stephen King’s short story “Quitters, Inc.” it shows that love is stronger than any addiction. Morrison tells his wife, Cindy, that he is kicking the habit of smoking for her and their son, Alvin. When he learns that Quitters Inc.’s punishment involves his family; “How horrible would it be for the boy. He wouldn't understand it even if someone explained. He’ll only know someone is hurting him because Daddy was bad. He’ll be very frightened.”(Quitters 218) Morrison is so close to tears after hearing that and calls Donatti a “... filthy bastard.”(Quitters 218) This validates the thought of his wife and son suffering from his mistakes causes enough pain for him to avoid smoking. Further, When Morrison considers the

Carr opens up his argument with his personal struggle to focus on reading the text. Unlike the past when he enjoyed reading lengthy articles easily, he acknowledges that his mind constantly drifts away from the text and that he looks for something else to do. “I’ve been spending a lot of time online, searching and surfing and sometimes adding to the great databases of the Internet....Research that once required days in the stacks or periodical rooms of libraries can now be done in minutes… Even when I’m not working, I’m as likely as not to be foraging in the Web’s info-thickets”(Carr 348). He realizes that the increasing amount of time spending on the Internet has caused his intellectual pain. By exposing his personal experience and analyzing it, he successfully points out the issue he faces.

Imagine living in a world without any internet. Imagine the amount of trouble a person would require to go through in order to find out the simplest things. The internet nowadays has become an essential part of almost every human being’s life. Cutting the internet off for just one day my actually leave the world in a state of commotion. Every type of technology may be used in either a way that benefit’s a person, or a way that may harm a person. The author, Nicholas Carr (2010), in “Does the Internet Make You Dumber?” argues that the internet, which is usually looked upon as the most abundant source of information, is actually what is leading people to become “superficial thinkers.” People who are always on the internet tend to not be very productive or creative. Even with the advantages using

59% of people aged 18 to 29 say the internet is shaping who they are. “The Veldt” and “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury are two dystopian novels where technology has become a major factor in their life, destroying them by the day. “The veldt” is based in the future, where a family is given all the modern benefits of technology, claiming to make their lives easier and more efficient. For example, the kitchen makes dinner for all the family, allowing them to engage in other fun activities. However, with every good thing, comes bad. The nursery is a simulation, where reality becomes virtual, able to recreate any environment, whether it be fictional or not. Rather than the kids going out into the wild, they would lock themselves in, relying on simulation and technology. Later on, the thought of their parents wanting to lock the nursery, lead their children to lure them into it, allowing them to get eaten alive by lions. “Fahrenheit 451” talks about a future American society, where technology has affected humanity negatively. The main character is Montag, a fireman who lives in a society where censorship is heavily used to hide the history of their country. Books are banned, and firemen burn them. Montag and his wife Mildred, a technology addict, begin to read books, slowly leading them to question the countless problems in his society. In both stories, Ray Bradbury uses tone and literary devices to show how an overdependence on technology as well as a disconnection from the

Nicolas Carr, an author and researcher, insinuates that people who use computers and the internet are becoming more shallow human beings and that this technological tool, despite its advantages that are applauded by many, is harming society as a whole. Carr has discussed these thoughts in his book The Shallows, on television in an interview with Stephen Colbert, and in an article in The Atlantic entitled “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” While Carr believes that the internet has its place and that it has been extremely helpful to him as a researcher and writer, he also believes that the internet encourages multitasking and boosts superficiality. I share these same thoughts with Carr. While the internet has been extremely helpful in producing a more efficient and fast-paced environment, it has at the same time produced challenges and weaknesses in our society, like multitasking and frivolity.

The internet could be the most valuable invention that was made in the modern age. With the force of the web individuals basically can do anything. From learning how to cook to building a car. The possibility is endless. The modernization of the internet can have positive and negative effects on the world. The modernization of the web can have positive and negative consequences on the world. It is sure in light of the fact that it gives everyone the power to access any information, that they need in second. In any case, it is contrary since individuals start to get limited focus and just focus on the things they need to see as opposed to seeing the full picture.

In this article, I sensed some rhetorical strategies used. For example, Carr explains that he wasn 't the only one experiencing the problem of not being able to concentrate on his readings. His acquaintances, impressive bloggers, and friends also claims to have the literary types—struggles for fighting to stay focused on long pieces of writings. However, just proving this point won’t solve anything, so Carr points out rhetorical techniques like logos. According to the prominent pathologist Bruce Friedman, admitted, “I’ve lost the ability to do that. Even a blog post of more than three or four paragraphs is too much to absorb. I skim it.” Carr cites a few studies of internet behavior that is influencing our brain to lack concentration. He proves

Within the text The Addict by Katherine Fleming it addresses several serious ideas and issues within Australian society. Fleming has conveyed these ideas through several structural and language conventions in order to convey her own values and beliefs around these issues. In The Addict We hear from the author and testimonials from Heath, A recovering addict and her interviewee. This article has been written for an Australian audience and was published in a state-wide newspaper called “The West Australian” and is distributed both digitally and physically.

In the book, The Shallows, Carr explains how people think they can not reach their full potential without the internet.”The net also provides a high system for delivering response and rewards. (Pg. 117)” Because the internet can allow people to talk to each other in a matter of seconds, people are always distracted by their

The internet has been, arguably, the most influential form of technology to be introduced in the past hundred years. With this creation, the world as we know it has been connected in ways that were never dreamed of before. Peoples from thousands of miles away are able to converse and spread their ideas with a simple push of a button. Cultures have interacted like never before. This, in return, has caused a new information age that has enlightened the world as we start the 21st century. However, this new information age has come with a price. In the book The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains, by Nicholas Carr, the author discusses how the internet is causing a change in the way people read and see things. He also mentions how

People searching for immediacy and skimming through texts might play a role in the lessening of attention spans but it seems to be more of a product of choice and self discipline, rather than a product of using the Internet. Carr’s argument about the Internet causing these effects on cognition seems to be an excuse for an individual’s own habits. Sometimes, I almost feel the need to be distracted and compelled to check my phone, email, Facebook etc. However, I found that to be my choice. Whenever I tell myself that I need to get work done before indulging in an Internet-savvy society or when I put my phone somewhere that is out of sight, my urge to use technology has diminished almost completely because of the self discipline I have enforced. I have discovered that I am most distracted when there are multiple tabs irrelevant to my work open on my computer. Normally this occurs when I have shopping and social media windows open, which is a big red flag for me when I am trying to do work. What happens is I get the urge to check in on everyone’s lives on Facebook

Carr begins his writing by bringing in a reference from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey which highlights the contrast between a cold human and a computer who is able to feel its mind going. Similar to the computer, the author can feel a change in his mind because he is no longer able to read deeply; a skill that used to come easily to him. Another thing that has changed in the past few years is his internet usage. He now spends more time online doing research or looking for entertainment. The vast expanse of information found on the internet comes at the expense of the author’s “capacity for concentration and contemplation” (315). After talking to others, Carr found that they also attribute their decrease in concentration to the internet. The author includes studies on internet habits that indicate that people do indeed jump from page to page, never really reading deeply into the content. Carr summarizes the findings of experts that demonstrate that the internet promotes a type of reading that does not

I told myself I wouldn 't cry Hothouse Flower level of crazy, but I totally just did. First while I was reading the book, second while I was writing this review and third during the moment this conclusion prompted me to reevaluate my life.

In an age in which we are surrounded by information, it’s no wonder that we congregate around our newly found idols such as cell phones, televisions and computers, that provide us with unlimited information. We’ve become addicted and the worst part is that we aren’t even aware of it.

The Internet has become the most frequently used media for the past two decades (De Leo & Wulfert, 2013). In fact, its users are increasing day after day. The Internet has brought many benefits to numerous societies and individuals, and that includes information searches, communication, commercial activities, and entertainment (Kraut et al., 1998; Korgoankar, & Wolin, 1999). Furthermore, the Internet has made lives easy and it has become an essential part of our daily living, especially among the adolescents.