Technology Reverses the Smartness

The Telegraph UK had this article about a study researching the effects of our detrimental reliance on tech gadgets for all the information we feel we need to remember.

An over reliance on technology is leading to a dumbing down of the nation’s brain power, according a study published today
Professor Ian Robertson, a neuropsychology expert based at Trinity College Dublin who carried out the study, said: “People have more to remember these days, and they are relying on technology for their memory.

“But the less you use of your memory, the poorer it becomes. This may be reflected in the survey findings which show that the over 50s who grew up committing more to memory report better performance in many areas than those under 30 who are heavily reliant on technology to act as their day to day aide memoir.”

So if I eschew technology but still write everything I need to remember on paper, am I still “dumbing” myself down? And if so, can I reverse it with massive amounts of Sudoku and crossword puzzles? I’ve heard memorizing poetry helps. I don’t engage in any of those inactive activities, and I don’t have time to start now.

I’m too busy to remember that I’ve forgotten anything. By the time things slow down enough for me to look around and notice that my mind is slipping, my kids will be off at college. Which, as fate would have it, will be when I’ll be starting to feel the effects of memory-loss due to years of writing everything down. In 20 years I’ll be an empty-nester with all the time in the world to revamp my neurological pathways with lots of sitting on my ass and filling in the blank squares.

Posted by Alexa Harrington
memory | learning | education