One of Carr’s main points is that by using the Internet as the source of knowledge, humanity might forget printed books and the importance of intellectual vibrations triggered by words in our minds (63). In other words, deep reading, a part of deep thinking, can be lost, and it is one of the threats of using technologies.
Carr appeals to previous experiences, including the invention of the printing press, which decreased the role of religion, or Richard Foreman’s saying about the importance of complex inner density that might be substituted by a new culture with low attention to such details (63). These arguments and sources are used because of the similarity of the processes described by them. The emergence of available books changed the world, and nowadays, the Internet makes the same. This process cannot but impact the culture and precondition the emergence of critical changes in mentalities, which means that something vital can be lost. Additionally, Foreman speaks about the heritage of the West as one of the things that are endangered by technologies as they threaten the traditional lifestyle.
In such a way, the choice of these sources and arguments to prove the point seems reasonable. Carr makes his assumptions sound more persuasive because of real-life examples and similar ideas offered by other thinkers. He warns readers that he might be a worrywart and his statements are not necessarily true; however, this point triggers cogitations about the future of books and their role in our lives (Carr 63). Print sources have always been a part of our culture, but today the Internet offers more opportunities to acquire information. It means that Carr’s idea about losing a part of our culture can be relevant.
Reference
Carr, Nicholas. “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” The Atlantic, 2008, pp. 56-63.