Attention Deficit - Again


This is one of the better articles I have read on the issue of technology and how it might be affecting our brains. The irony is that while I was reading it I was interrupted by the New York Times itself. Between pages 2 and 3 a request for feedback popped up and distracted me from the article on....what was it? Here is the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/technology/07brain.html

The bottom-line is that we have now learnt that our brains do not stop developing at a young age. Our grey matter continues to adapt to the stimulus it faces on a daily basis. With the ever increasing bombardment of information -- and the resulting interruptions -- a growing number seem to be concluding that our brains are indeed adapting to the influx. How? By limiting our creativity, our empathy, our memory, our concentration.

As I have said before, while I was working at IBM we often had discussions about Adult Attention Deficit Disorder. We were constantly bombarded by emails, chat messages, phone calls, pages, voice mails and each other. It was a fairly regular topic of lunch conversation as we saw the consequences in our own behaviour. The impatience at knowing what secrets those messages held. The desire to be aware of EVERYTHING that was going on.

The good news is that since our brains continue to adapt as we get older there is hope. If we slow down (thanks Carl Honore) then maybe we can start turning back this physiological change that is ongoing.

We adults are so worried about ADD in our children. Maybe it is time we set the example ourselves. I have lots to learn though. I happen to be typing this as I watch Portugal play North Korea in the World Cup. Those Portuguese goals keep interrupting me! :-)


Let me know what you think about what you have just read. Please and thanks!

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