Genetics Vs. Technology: Why Are We Dumb?

The great philosopher, Plato, never allowed his students to take notes. He made them memorize information as he taught it. Plato believed that note taking made the mind weak. In order for one to be a great rhetor, all information must be memorized, so he could recite on demand. There was no need for studying, because you already had the knowledge you needed to state your argument.

“Kids today have it so easy.” “This new generation is full of stupid, incompetent know-it-all’s.”

What college aged person has not heard this uttered in some form or another in their lifetime? Who has the right to say these things? And what if they are correct in their interpretation of the kids growing up in the digital age? Is technology making us dumb?

In DiSalvo’s article 'Think Fast, Are We Really GettingDumber?’ he says that over the past couple of centuries, IQ’s have dropped 14 points on average. “The metric evaluated to reach this conclusion isn’t one most would guess. Rather than comprehensive IQ test scores declining over time, researchers focused on declining reaction tomes – a metric hat correlates with general intelligence for reasons that aren’t entirely clear.”

One theory is simple: Smart people are having fewer children, and lower intelligence people can’t stop having children. “Smart people are more creative and industrious than the masses, and their energy – consumed by productive pursuits – is less available for bringing children in the world.” Says Disalvo. Although many people live by this theory, I believe this is an argument for another forum.

One thing is for certain; technology is ever growing, making it easier and easier to have information at our fingertips. We now have the luxury of having vast amounts of knowledge at our disposal, twenty-four hours a day. Why do I have to memorize all 44 presidents in order, when I can Google the information and have it on hand? Who needs to know the quadratic formula by heart, when you can go to any math assistant website and have it worked out for you?

Nowadays, it is customary, if not required, to take notes on a subject you will be tested on later. And we have slowly moved from hand writing our notes to taking notes on our computers and tablets. In an article published in Psychological Science, Mueller and Oppenheimer discuss the advantages of long hand note taking versus laptop note taking.

“The use of laptops n classrooms is controversial. Many professors believe that computers (and the internet) serve as distractions, detracting from discussion and student learning. Conversely, students often self-report a belief that laptops in class are beneficial. Even when students admit that laptops are a distraction, they believe the benefits outweigh the costs (Muller).” 

No surprise there. Most professors want students to actually listen to lecture, rather than have the temptation to browse the net. Some do not even allow a laptop to be used in class. “Empirical research tends to support the professors’ view, finding that students using laptops are not on task during lectures, show decreased academic performance, and are actually less satisfied with their education that their peers who do not use laptops in class (Mueller).”

On the flip side, I would rather read my typed notes, than try to decipher my own handwriting after vigorously scribbling notes before the slide changes/board gets erased.  So, is technology making us stupid, or even lazy? Regardless of the answer, technology is not just a cool new toy anymore. Technology is required for our everyday lives. Computers are necessary for society to function.

Do you think this generation would be better off learning the same way our parents and grandparents did? Our education is evolving along with the advancements of our world. So does that make us dumb – for growing up in a world with growing technology? Does taking notes on your laptop make you less likely to succeed in the classroom? I think one day, we will have to come to the conclusion that maybe people are not stunted by computers, but have the ability to further knowledge like never before. 

-D