# Does The Internet Make You Stupid?



## PhotoXopher (Nov 9, 2009)

*Does The Internet Make You Stupid?*

Having been involved with various online communications for more years that some of today&#8217;s hackers have been alive I&#8217;ve seen a lot of changes. The biggest change was the introduction of what we call the Internet; where swarms of people flock to for communication, gaming, shopping, entertainment and among countless other things&#8230; information.

The last part is what has troubled me over the last couple years. I&#8217;ve seen intelligent people ask simple questions that could have been answered, in less time, by doing a quick search &#8211; or with a little common sense. Sites like http://www.letmegooglethatforyou.com have taken interest in this fact as well, and have become a popular method for pointing out the obvious to people, yet I believe to the vast majority the hint goes in one ear and out the other so to speak. From what I&#8217;ve seen, Internet forums have become the playing ground for many of these people, but I don&#8217;t believe they were this way when they created their first account.

Over time I believe this type of portal has a negative effect on otherwise good, smart and civil people. _I&#8217;ve seen it time and time again and even fell victim to it_ &#8211; luckily I am usually able to catch myself and withdraw for a few months to recover. It can be an addiction that takes one down a spiraling path of helplessness with an inability to make a decision without creating a forum poll of some sort. These are some of the same people who somehow managed to graduate high school, get a driver&#8217;s license, buy a car, get married, have kids and hold a steady job, but yet can&#8217;t make up their mind about what "Doohonky" to get.

It&#8217;s become so bad that everyone thinks their situation is unique, which of course means&#8230; a new thread! Why not? I mean of course nobody in the world has asked about what Doohonky to buy, right? This has got to be a new problem! Let&#8217;s pool our collective thoughts together and figure this dilemma out for all mankind.

Sounds kind of silly, doesn&#8217;t it.

Our society is growing farther and farther away from self reliance and becoming more and more co-dependent on other people to make them feel good about decisions they make.

Everything said aside, I personally don&#8217;t believe the Internet makes you stupid &#8211; however I do believe it slowly strips away your power of decision making and turns you into someone who needs your hand held while crossing the hallway in your own home.

It&#8217;s true&#8230; Let me Google that for you!


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## PatrickHMS (Nov 9, 2009)

*NOYZE ~ THANKS for that post!*

Doesn't let me click you a thanks for this one.

I still use Yahoo search instead of google...


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## UUilliam (Nov 9, 2009)

Let me google that for you
not http://Letmegooglethatforyou


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## CCarsonPhoto (Nov 9, 2009)

:bows: great post. I'm glad I opened this thread to be guided to self validation vicariously!


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## boogschd (Nov 9, 2009)

yay for N0YZE!!!


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## astrostu (Nov 9, 2009)

da internets dinn't make me stoopid


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## pharmakon (Nov 9, 2009)

I was going to reply about seeing both sides of the issue (wanting experienced advice on something) until I saw this part.



N0YZE said:


> Our society is growing farther and farther away from self reliance and becoming more and more co-dependent on other people *to make them feel good about decisions they make*.


 
I think a lot of times someone will have their mind made up already and they just want reassurance, and if you don't tell them what they want to hear it starts a big fight.


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## manicmike (Nov 9, 2009)

I don't think the internet makes you stupid. I think it makes the stupid/lazy people more visible. 

Good post.


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## PhotoXopher (Nov 9, 2009)




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## PatrickHMS (Nov 9, 2009)

manicmike said:


> I don't think the internet makes you stupid. I think it makes the stupid/lazy people more visible.
> 
> Good post.


 
Good point.

Internet also gives people access to forums where internet bullies can have a playground.

"The Information Superhighway Has Potholes"


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## Derrel (Nov 9, 2009)

"What lense should  by with my new d-slr? Is the kit lense any good? Why does the kit lense cost so little and yet I see these other lenseses with the f/2.9 thing costing like $1299?"

"Is Canon or Nikon a better choice for my first serious camera?"

"I'm looking to buy a flash for a Nikon D40 and I have a total budget of $350 dollars. What flash unit should I buy? Is the Nikon one better than the Blitzenmeister 450 the camera store sales guy is pushing? Should I spend the extra $15 for the Nikon flash,or just go with the Blitzenmeister 450?"

"I bet you guys have all heard this noob question before, but what is the difference between the Canon Rebel ** and the Nikon D** models? Lol. Looking for any help I can get here."


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## PhotoXopher (Nov 9, 2009)

Blitzenmeister 

Classic.


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## musicaleCA (Nov 9, 2009)

Yawn. What's the big deal here? Noyze hasn't said anything new. Such thoughts about the Internet have been deliberated ad nauseum and in higher forums than this. Frankly I thought that post was short sighted and shallow, lacking all depth.



N0YZE said:


> Our society is growing farther and farther away from self reliance and becoming more and more co-dependent on other people to make them feel good about decisions they make.



Evidently you have completely overlooked Asia.


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## Soocom1 (Nov 9, 2009)

What bugs me the most is that alot of information sought is information we should have been taught in school. The real problem is that people are lazy, not stupid. The internet is not what makes one stupid. The internet not more powerful is it... Quicker, easier, more seductive. 
How do you know the good side from the bad? 
Well... that up to you. 

Seriously.  The use of the internet is so simplistic, that people only see the 2 second sound bite of info. That&#8217;s it. They don&#8217;t research, or look even for curiosity sake. Just rely on the two word sentence for their news. 

Personally, I say teach kids Latin first, reading writing and rhetoric, then, and ONLY then can they be allowed the net.


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## Derrel (Nov 9, 2009)

OMG NOYZE, "you have completely overlooked Asia!"

"Oh-my-Gawd NOYZE....how could you have completely overlooked Asia? You foolish man--you, why, you have completely overlooked Asia. Asia is huge! Where is Asia going to sit at the dinner table?"

"We don't have enough chicken pieces for Asia, or enough wine. You better get in the car and zip your butt right down to the grocery store and get some more wine,and some more chicken, and a few extra napkins, 'cause when Asia comes through that door tonight, and sits down to dinner at OUR table--we are going to have enough food for Asia!"

"Man, how could  you have completely overlooked Asia!"


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## PhotoXopher (Nov 9, 2009)

:lmao:

I want what you had for lunch Derrel!


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## musicaleCA (Nov 9, 2009)

Derrel said:


> OMG NOYZE, "you have completely overlooked Asia!"
> 
> "Oh-my-Gawd NOYZE....how could you have completely overlooked Asia? You foolish man--you, why, you have completely overlooked Asia. Asia is huge! Where is Asia going to sit at the dinner table?"
> 
> ...



What the hell crawled up your ass this morning?


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## Derrel (Nov 9, 2009)

musicaleCA said:


> Yawn. What's the big deal here? Noyze hasn't said anything new. Such thoughts about the Internet have been deliberated ad nauseum and in higher forums than this. Frankly I thought that post was short sighted and shallow, lacking all depth.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I so so very much love a good dose of college-age righteous indignation and moral superiority in the morning.


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## musicaleCA (Nov 10, 2009)

Perhaps you should try re-reading my post with a tone that isn't self-righteous then.


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## Overread (Nov 10, 2009)

I don't know about IQ or decivness but it certainly makes you lot all cranky.....


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## Derrel (Nov 10, 2009)

Derrel said:


> OMG NOYZE, "you have completely overlooked Asia!"
> 
> "Oh-my-Gawd NOYZE....how could you have completely overlooked Asia? You foolish man--you, why, you have completely overlooked Asia. Asia is huge! Where is Asia going to sit at the dinner table?"
> 
> ...



Happy now? Now, nobody will overlook Asia. Asia will have a place at the table. With its own food. And drink. And even a napkin.


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## PhotoXopher (Nov 10, 2009)

Sorry Derrel, I couldn't afford napkins... have you checked the population of Asia lately?!


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## musicaleCA (Nov 10, 2009)

Overread said:


> I don't know about IQ or decivness but it certainly makes you lot all cranky.....



Evidently.


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## manicmike (Nov 12, 2009)

I'm going to bump this thread. Seems like there's a whole bunch of people that don't know what the search function does.


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## JamesMason (Nov 12, 2009)

The internet makes people clever, the governments and cooperation's know that are worried. People are being educated on the the scams they have been pulling for years.

Sites like lmgtfy just show how many really dumb people now have access to the internet.


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## JamesMason (Nov 12, 2009)

CA can you describe what you mean by higher forums ?

Not saying that as a dig, just interested


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## camz (Nov 12, 2009)

Yeps.  Information is cheap nowadays...just way inflated.  I think stupid people will always be around that's why I'm not really worried.  What worries me about the internet is the loss of social refinement that physical interaction brings.   These kids I see who text each other being that they're located in the same room just boggles me. With that said, I think the net doesn't make us stupid intellectually however will hinder some social aspects of communication. 

Also, with the younger generation being accustomed to almost instantaneous data provided by the net, current institutions of education should revamp their curriculum to cater to these kids with sponges for brains...they're just getting plain ol bored in school.  The internet having so much freedom vs academia having so much structure demands alot of adjustment for our educates.

All in all these are just minor glitches in my opinion b/c I'm a big fan of the internet revolution like most of us are...it's has just too much to offer but I think that's another topic.


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## musicaleCA (Nov 12, 2009)

JamesMason said:


> CA can you describe what you mean by higher forums ?
> 
> Not saying that as a dig, just interested



By higher forums, I was referring to academia.


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## PhotoXopher (Nov 12, 2009)

Those nuts are awesome in cookies!



Kidding...


I know they're good plain too.


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## camz (Nov 12, 2009)




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## ::trainwreck:: (Nov 12, 2009)

camz said:


> What worries me about the internet is the loss of social refinement that physical interaction brings. These kids I see who text each other being that they're located in the same room just boggles me. With that said, I think the net doesn't make us stupid intellectually however will hinder some social aspects of communication.


 
Actually had a conversation about this the other day.  Kids will say things on the internet that they wouldn't say face to face with someone, and lose a lot of genuine human interaction.  

I wonder what the world will be like when lolspeak is the dominant langauge for all cultures.


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## camz (Nov 13, 2009)

::trainwreck:: said:


> Actually had a conversation about this the other day.  Kids will say things on the internet that they wouldn't say face to face with someone, and lose a lot of genuine human interaction.
> 
> I wonder what the world will be like when lolspeak is the dominant langauge for all cultures.



LOLing and all these chat/forum abriviations is definitely going to speed up the evolution of communication and language.  I heard an interview in KQED of the man who invented the internet happy face =), who use to be a Research CS student from Carnegie Melon almost 35 years ago.  He says that he's glad to make this little contribution to the world.  And I agree with him because it really has change our ways of communicating (As I look at all the different smilies on the right side of my screen ).  

I don't think the world will change too much, I think there's just going to be another type of language out there free and universal. Might be a good thing..


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## Dominantly (Nov 13, 2009)

-Too much thought into a very broad subject
-Not the first thread, not the last; I wonder if there is a thread about threads like this?
-Ah, the pleasure of a world where you can be who you always wanted to be, talk how you always wanted to talk (out loud) and live without fear of repercussions. The joy of anonymity.
-The, "give me now"; generation. Answers are sought, no desire to read through anything to find my answer, even though tools have been created to ease the agony of research; I'll just ask someone so they'll do the leg work for me.
-Coincidentally, along with road rage caused by someones lack of patience, or desire to make it to their destination 60 seconds faster, we have Internet rage. Rather then pass over a new thread posted about the same thing, time and time again, you will find Internet Rage-a-holics poised and ready to point out the way they perceive it should be.
-New members, more site traffic, site profit from increased vendors and advertisement, site improvements, community growth, knowledge bank building for future searches, etc etc...


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## PhotoXopher (Nov 14, 2009)

I think the worst part is... when someone actually DOES do a search, they get flamed for bringing up a thread for 3 months ago!


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## DennyCrane (Nov 14, 2009)

The internetz simply make everyone ever so much more so of what they already are. The massive information available to those who know where to find it (and no, I don't mean wikipedia...) can make the intelligent more equipped to discuss a topic. It makes the idiots even more foolish when they quote bad internet sources.

But there's the ones in the middle that often take the brunt of abuse because they're simply not internet-savvy. It might have taken all their ability to find TPF or some other forum, get a membership, and post a question about what camera to buy. The concept of searching the forum for similar questions, or doing a research on Bing or Google might only not have occurred to them, but may have been beyond their ability. I think most people here are tech-savvy enough to take those things for granted. But imagine yer grammy trying to figure out what camera to get on her own and not knowing internet more than basic email and checking her bank statements. 

That said, I have been actively overlooking Asia for over 11 hours now.

OMGWTFBBQ!!!!111!!!eineeine!!!! 1337 hax0r!


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## Lisa B (Nov 15, 2009)

I don't think that the internet makes you stupid, per say. I think it actually makes you feel less constricted and more confident to say those things you wouldn't necessarily say to another person in person because, although you don't have the human interaction with it, you don't have the embarrassment of a sticky situation/conversation etc either. 

As for the LOL'ing, I do think that the convenience of abbreviation was already present prior to the existence of the internet - nobody wants to spend the day typing legibly by long hand (sigh), which I don't have a problem with, but, when it comes to children (and adults alike) that spend THAT MUCH time using abbreviated speech in text I worry that the art of good penmanship and solid communication through writing and letters may become less graspable to those who rarely now use decent language. 

A friend of mine actually said LOL to me once in a conversation, and I was almost offended were it not for the fact that they clearly weren't thinking straight, nor actually laughing out loud!!! 

So, no, the internet doesn't make you stupid, but it can make you lazy and a little bit strange!


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## Dominantly (Nov 15, 2009)

Lisa B said:


> A friend of mine actually said LOL to me once in a conversation, and *I was almost offended* were it not for the fact that they clearly weren't thinking straight, nor actually laughing out loud!!!
> 
> So, no, the internet doesn't make you stupid, but it can make you lazy and a little bit strange!


Really? OMG, LAWL.....
You're wound pretty tight if you would find offense in something like that...


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