Susan Greenfield, a neuroscientist at Oxford University, is concerned that the internet age in general (video games, etc) and social networking sites in particular (Facebook) may be contributing to an increased incidence of attention disorders:
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/02/25/oxford-scientist-facebook-might-ruin-minds/
The gist of her argument is that by exposing and conditioning our minds to rapid information feeds, we could lose to ability to focus on the speed of normal life. The implications for three-hour seminars on marketing and the internet remain to be determined.
Needless to say, Facebook isn't particularly concerned about her accusations at the moment. Video game developers can point to studys which say essentially the opposite - that video games can hone critical thinking and observation skills.
Her point of view, however, prompted a discussion with the oldest Facebook user I know, my 90-year-old grandmother, who I visited (in person) last weekend. My grandmother's Facebook profile is not just a formality. She checks her profile at least daily, and uses it as a primary means of keeping in touch with friends and family (she joined before 3 of her 4 children, but after all of her grandchildren). She sends messages, comments on photos, and posts her own photos - mostly of her garden and artwork (she paints and draws), for the rest of us to admire.
She scoffed at the idea that Facebook is ruining our minds. In fact, she says, she loves FB precisely because it "is like when everyone used to write letters." From her point of view, the low point in human communication was the age of the telephone, when people could "call and drone on for ages" - and "no one has the time for that." Email was an improvement, but still seemed fairly impersonal, and she felt good manners required writing more than a couple of sentences.
She thinks Facebook enables the kind of expressive, short communication she used to enjoy with friends long ago. She can write a couple of lines, and maybe include a little photo or drawing or two, or a copy of an article or something else that's interesting, and actually have fun keeping in touch with people. FB has the advantages of her old hobbies, and more.
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