"Curiouser and Curiouser" by Scruton

        Roger Scruton’s nonfictional essay “Curiouser and Curiouser” (Nov 2011) defines the roles technological gadgets and social media have taken on in our lives. Using logical arguments and realistic examples, he supports his claims that such things have become our masters.  Scruton clearly wants his audience to think and reconsider the way devices are used in everyday applications in order to lessen dependency on them. Because the average person uses technology and Internet, his audience is broad and general. 

Scruton’s views on our technological phase almost completely mirror mine. Those who exist through a screen in the name of communicating have become slaves to their devices. Most of the time, those afflicted most deeply with Insta-everything don’t even see how it’s an issue. While it’s true, that there is convience in the portability of tablets and smartphones, it’s simply unhealthy to be so dependent on a piece of hardware no more than a few inches wide. It’s changed how we think, and the author outlines this idea in his essay.  The vapid have long existed, but their numbers grow when we can put whatever we want out into the world with the tap or swipe of a finger. 

Scruton makes many observations, and sometimes turns these into generalizations. In the phrase “. . .and young people are now governed by the gadgets in their hands” (Scruton 228) Scruton assumes that young people alone are the utilizers of new devices. Again he makes this idea clear when he comments that “Intimacy and privacy are dreams of the oldies. . .” (Scruton 228). However, throughout the piece he does a good job of keeping the generalizations to a minimum and keeping the extreme, extreme. 

    Scruton, Roger. "Curiouser and Curiouser." Connections. Ed. Mary R. Lamb. N.p.: n.p., 2013. N. pag. Print.

"How Stupid is Google Making Us?" by Badke

William Badke, in his informative article “How Stupid is Google Making Us?” explains that technology causes our generation to be negligent to information around us. He shows this by stating that since there is no challenge to find information on the internet, we choose what is easily accessible (Badke 222). The author emphasizes the impact of technology in order to make readers realize the role that technology plays in their lives. The intended audience for this article is people who overuse search engines instead of looking up information in books. 

After reading this article, I am in agreement with the author. I believe that information is too easily accessible and causes us to be lazy and incompetent instead of working for information. I also agree that their devices, instead of what is truly important in their lives, often control people.

        William Badke’s argument is strengthened by the examples found within his article. He bases his argument on the research discovered in the iBrain study that measured brain function during sessions on the Internet. From the study, Badke found that by using the Internet, we have no need to store information in our long-term memory; most information is temporary (Scientific American Mind, October/November 2008, www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=your=ibrain; excerpted from iBrain: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind, William Morrow, 2008). He proposes that students should be presented with research as a problem-solving task, work slowly and soak in all of the information presented to them, and read physical books when they have the opportunity (Badke 227).


          Badke, William. "How Stupid Is Google Making Us." Connections. Ed. Mary R. Lamb. N.p.: n.p., 2013. N. pag. Print.
Scientific American Mind, October/November 2008, www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=your=ibrain; excerpted from iBrain: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind, William Morrow, 2008.