Is the Internet Making Us Insane?

Newsweek (via The Daily Beast) ^ | 7-9-2012 | Tony Dokoupil

[Sir Napsalot]

Tweets, texts, emails, posts. New research says the Internet can make us lonely and depressed—and may even create more extreme forms of mental illness, Tony Dokoupil reports.

(snip) Questions about the Internet’s deleterious effects on the mind are at least as old as hyperlinks. But even among Web skeptics, the idea that a new technology might influence how we think and feel—let alone contribute to a great American crack-up—was considered silly and naive, like waving a cane at electric light or blaming the television for kids these days. Instead, the Internet was seen as just another medium, a delivery system, not a diabolical machine. It made people happier and more productive. And where was the proof otherwise?

Now, however, the proof is starting to pile up. The first good, peer-reviewed research is emerging, and the picture is much gloomier than the trumpet blasts of Web utopians have allowed. The current incarnation of the Internet—portable, social, accelerated, and all-pervasive—may be making us not just dumber or lonelier but more depressed and anxious, prone to obsessive-compulsive and attention-deficit disorders, even outright psychotic. Our digitized minds can scan like those of drug addicts, and normal people are breaking down in sad and seemingly new ways.

[Sir Napsalot]

Are we all too addicted to enslaved by our gadgets?

[Sir Napsalot]

Of course, it falls upon the Newsweek to question the addictive nature (i.e. destructive) of alternative news/views.

[alloysteel]

SkyNet has become self-aware and is exerting its influence so much quicker than anybody ever imagined....

[mnehring]

Yes. Next question.

[dfwgator]

No!

[ILS21R]

$1.00

[bgill]

Algore’s fault.

[nhoward14]

too long; didn’t read

[Revolting cat!]

Not me!

[alphadoggie]

I’ve caught myself becoming enslaved by it all. And it’s surprisingly hard to force yourself to disconnect...

[MNDude]

True enough. Especially Freerepublic.com!!

[JimSEA]

All those subversive ideas floating around out there. Beliefs must be controlled by elites. How can we permit diverse ideas to flourish? Look at all the damage the Tea Party has caused to the government’s agenda. Liberty = greed and insanity

[JaguarXKE]

LOLOLOLOL!!

[Average Al]

It is long but pages 4 and 5 were more interesting.

[GeorgiaDawg32]

I’ll let you know as soon as the voices stop talking to me.

[Carriage Hill]

“Is the Internet Making Us Insane?”

I’ll take Multiple Choice for $300, Alex.

[Lazamataz]

[Psycho_Bunny]

Really? Insane? Have these clowns ever read their own magazine?

[prof.h.mandingo]

I suggest you look seriously at our self-absorbed youth. My own granddaughter almost ran into someone in the store while playing some Ipad thing. I teach, and I can tell you attention spans are shorter, reading is impossible and students think they can put in acronyms like, BTW (by the way) in papers. It happens at all levels including college.
My friend is a law professor. She constantly has to chide students to put away or turn off electronic devices. I have set time limits and rules for use of the Ipad my granddaughter has. She listens because she is a good kid but it was like I was asking here to walk over hot coals. She is now reading a real book for a summer assignment. I would not allow her to get it online. Am I a Luddite? I don't think so.

[zencycler]

Yes, parental monitoring and time limits are very important. I had 2 programs on my kids computers for this .. one which limited the times when they could use the computer, and another which took periodic screenshots and saved them in a file for my later review.

I told my kids, if you want privacy, use the bathroom or the phone. But I'm reviewing anything you do on the internet, and if you're not using it responsibly, you lose it.