Although the core argument is valid — technology does make you “stupid” in that it frees you from learning & maintaining basic skills — but the article is poorly written and doesn’t drive any particular point home except that kids these days suck…
Here’s a recent example from my own tech-aided life: I went to the emergency room the other night due to a nasty cut on my hand. In my haste — the blood! the blood! — I left my PDA at home. I answered most of their admittance questions, but I couldn’t for the life of me (heh) remember my family doctor’s name, let alone her contact information. The hospital staff looked at me like I was either stupid or lying, because they couldn’t believe I didn’t know my doctor’s name.
But the fact is, I’ve dumped those facts I don’t need every day to my PDA. It serves as a crutch for my lousy memory, but in so doing, has destroyed my ability to recall a whole bunch of facts. I’ve become more “stupid”, if you will — that is, unless I have my PDA.
And that is, of course, the whole idea: I generally don’t *have* to remember my doctor’s phone number. I look at it this way: my brain has a more or less finite processing capacity. By dumping the more basic functions (contact info memory, simple math, etc.) in favor of more complex tools (PDAs, calculators, etc.), we not only extend our abilities in those areas, but also free up our minds for higher pursuits.
…such as juggling knives while drinking heavily…
As for the utterly unrelated rant about camera phones, he doesn’t GET it. The reasons to have a camera phone are:
1. You can send images directly from the phone. (I’m personally getting impatient w/ regular digi-cams — “Ya mean I have to wait til I get home and sync w/ my PC??? lame…”) Thus, picture-taking serves as another tool of conversation.
2. You ALWAYS have it with you. Granted, even a lousy digi-cam is generally better quality, but you only have a pretty narrow window of opportunity in which to use it, i.e., when you are expecting a good picture-taking opportunity.