The Internet has blown apart our previously limited sources of information. I went to college when email was just beginning to be used, and the Internet was a quieter place to search for information. The library was still highly useful. Now my 3 1/2 yr old son understands that we can look anything up “online” whenever we want to — for example, we were watching videos of the beaches in Elba (on YouTube) the other night, after reading a book on Mediterranean fish. The Internet has beautiful potential, but I think at the moment, our society is struggling to deal wisely with the vast amount of information on it.
As parents, it is crucial that we teach to use deliberate, critical thinking as they delve into what’s available. They should be able to weed out what is superficial, what is false, what is superfluous. We have to teach them to focus, so that they can harness the energy and produce something greater with it.
I completely agree, Leni! I find the Internet has begun clouding my focus and making me more ADD-like in my daily activity. In fact, just tonight I was discussing the concept of “unplugging ourselves” from the Internet, Social Networking, Chat (in some cases we are required to be on IM for work during the day), and even taking breaks from email and only checking it during ‘intervals’ during the day with my friend this eve. I find it hard to focus on an in-depth spreadsheet when all this ‘noise’ is happening in the background. So as much as we “plug” ourselves in, we now need to learn how & when to “unplug”.
I realize my comment is more about ‘connectivity’ than sorting through information, but I think both your point and mine are becoming equally important issues for our society.