School of Thinking

The Edge Question 2010: How is the internet changing the way you think?

• Science historian George Dyson asks “what if the cost of machines that think is people who don’t?” He wonders “will books end up back where they started, locked away in monasteries and read by a select few?”.

• Technology analyst Nicholas Carr wrote , “Is Google Making Us Stupid”. Has the use of the Web made it impossible for us to read long pieces of writing?

The Edge Annual Question — 2010:

HOW IS THE INTERNET CHANGING THE WAY YOU THINK?

This year’s Question is “How is the Internet changing the way YOU think?” Not “How is the Internet changing   the way WE think?” We spent a lot of time going back on forth on “YOU” vs. “WE” and came to the conclusion to go with “YOU”, the reason being that Edge is a conversation. “WE” responses tend to come across like expert papers, public pronouncements, or talks delivered from stage.

Meet artists, intellectuals and Scientists around the world. From Kevin Kelly to Brian Eno, from Richard Dawkins, to Clay Shirky, to Nicholas Carr – 172 essayists (an array of world-class scientists, artists, and creative thinkers) have created a 132,000 document. (Click here to go directly to the responses).

What do you think?


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7 Responses to “The Edge Question 2010: How is the internet changing the way you think?”


  1. george Says:

    i changed my mind about politics since i relocated to australia in 1988. I used to live in the USA and came to australia and got into a few interesting political discussions. Living here gave me a totally different view so much so that i became an australian and relinquished my usa citizenship which is a no no to them.
    G

  2. Simon Says:

    Religion, I used to be very religious but have since changed my mind. I find it very difficult to believe in something that is not tangible, since man is a very ‘tangible’ species. Hence the five senses. Also the bible states that man has been given the freedom of choice, to believe or not to believe. However the bible also states if we don’t follow it word for word we are all going to hell. I fail to see the freedom of choice in such a situation.

  3. marie Says:

    I think I have discovered also that we are relatively on the same path as everyone, we are all given similar information but what makes us different is willingness, time and consciousness. How we use the information we ar given is what makes us individual.

  4. Neville Says:

    I once believed we were all so very different – special in our individual ways. Now I realise it’s only our thinking that differentiate us.

  5. Emma Says:

    I am still training myself to disregard pointless worry and stress. Recently, a friend suggested I place all of my stress-points into bubbles of different colors and simply blow them away. As ridiculously mental as this sounds, I have found it helpful.

    I have changed my mind on self-help books and taking advice from strangers. I have changed my mind about not listening.

  6. Tim Y Says:

    I have changed my mind that the current political structure of our world can prepare us and lead us into the changes and challenges of the future. I have spoken with policy writers and speech writers of both parties here in the states and Princes and Rajs from other countries and find a lack of comprehension of the significance of their actions good or bad. A government should have a benevolence which is not based upon more power and wealth to the upperclass but is dedicated to educating and directing the citizens in most aspects of life. Those who rule must have a workable plan which should include all aspects of life. There is a point where one realizes altering the present vehicle is impractical and another vehicle more suited for the task at hand must be purchased. Inculcated from early childhood in belief in the American Way was hard to change but necessary.

  7. Barrie Says:

    I believed I couldn’t, and I was right. NOW, I believe I can, and blow me down if I’m not right again :-) Hahaha Yipeee.