Hi Everyone! I’m at Shiny New Books today. Here’s a taste:
With Mind Change: How Digital Technologies Are Leaving Their Mark on Our Brains, Susan Greenfield has provided us with an even-keeled examination of the intersection of digital technology and neuroscience. She explores various ways in which digital technology is affecting our brains, identities and culture and the possible consequences. Human brains are naturally plastic, everything we think and do changes them; this is a known and uncontested fact. There is no reason to believe that digital technology will not also change our brains and ultimately, who we are. Isn’t it a good idea to assess the potential risks and benefits of technology before we are so deep in it that it is too late to go back?
Intrigued? Read the rest here. And be sure to check out the rest of the Autumn issue while you are there!
I enjoyed your review Stefanie … sounds like an interesting book. I haven’t read much science of the brain, but I have heard many discussions about it on radio here and have been fascinated (and reassured sometimes!) by the apparent plasticity of the brain.
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WG, thanks! It was an interesting book. I appreciated that Greenfield held to a moderate stance and recognized the bad and the good.
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Great review Stefanie!
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Thanks Helen!
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So you’d wanted to be a gamer girl. Real cool! Your review makes me think of Shirley Turkle’s works. Here’s mine: Upcoming Books to Films in this issue of Shiny New Books. Yup, that’s me. 😉
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Arti, yup, I was a few clicks away from downloading Elder Scrolls and then the book made me a bit scared. Did I want to do that to my brain? But of course, it’s the how much that matters, and now that I’ve had time to consider I still might get myself Elder Scrolls and call it a Christmas present. Greenfield does mention Turkle’s study and book. Now, I’m off to read your review!
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This topic fascinates me. I just finished a (very bad) book, but one thing fascinated me , the idea of just how much the loss of technology for communication (cell phones, internet) would affect us. The term used was “hive mind.” It made me think not just of the theories about neuroplasticity and brain evolution or devolution, but of a loss of individuality.
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jenclair, the topic fascinates me too! Yes, Greenfield touches on on identity at many points and how if we allow our identities to be created outside of ourselves we might find a sort of homgeneity of culture and ways to be settling down upon us. A rather frightening prospect if you stop to think about it.
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We love your review! Yay for you reading and writing for us!! 🙂
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Shiny New Books is really good and this was an excellent review. In the UK there has been a lot of publicity about the apparent suicide of somebody who had been “outed” on television as an internet troll. A sad and wretched story and there was a lot of comment on how social media makes it much easier to act on some pretty nasty tendencies. I have the feeling that we are probably in too deep!
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Ian, thank you! SNB is quite good, isn’t it? Greenfield is from the UK and has testified before Parliament and the lack of understanding and response she got regarding the issues she raised was one thing that prompted her to write this book. One thing social media does is place a distance between us and other people. When you are bullying or being bullied online it is easier to not feel any kind of empathy which also makes it easier for bystanders to ignore and/or take part. It’s a sad thing for all involved. I don;t think we are in too deep yet, but it certainly will be challenging to back out a little.
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Thank you!
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Didn’t realise how pessimistic Greenfield is getting. What I noticed when teaching undergrads was an overwhelming aversion to reading coupled with often acute fragmentation in their written assignments. It was difficult to suggest to sociology colleagues that neuroscientists link these phenomena with social media because sociologists usually reply that a) social media teaches new skills that are relevant to a new economy, and b) neuroscientists are scientists, ergo they are scientific positivists, and scientific positivists are arrogant because they think that there is a truth that they have privileged access to. Is Greenfield’s book reasonably accessible?
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Jeff, I wouldn’t call her pessimistic, just cautious. The book is very accessible. I’d place it in the popular science category. She doesn’t load the book down with numbers but creates a narrative from them. If you want to dig deeper, she has extensive notes and citations. It’s a good book, especially if you are a teacher, it will shed much light on what is going on with your students.
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This sounds interesting and right up your alley–I am off to check out your review properly!
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Danielle, it is right up my alley, isn’t it? It was well done and gives much to think about.
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