The age of technology has fueled some revolutionizing additions to humanity, yet it still seems to get a bad rap. The internet is often alluded to as a generous contributor to the downfall of human intelligence, yet the evidence points to quite the contrary outcome.
Though there are countless funny cat videos, endless gossip articles, and enough social media blabber to tone down even the most brilliant of minds, the internet is also filled with an infinite supply of astute information just waiting to be discovered.
Children are challenged to engage their minds
Tablets, iPads, smartphones, and many other tech-savvy devices have given children a platform to use their minds in ways generations before could never have imagined. Kids as young as three are configuring devices and completing complex processes because of the prominence of technology in our world.
Technology gives kids (and adults) the opportunity to use their critical thinking skills regularly and exercise other cognitive skills to keep them sharp. Video games are not all detrimental to your child’s cognitive function.
We use the written word to communicate
Technology launched a time where people communicate more in the written word than they do in face to face encounters. The positive effect of this shift in our culture is that our vocabularies have become broader.
Spelling proficiencies have also risen overall, despite the use of endless emojis and abbreviations. The lols and ttyls haven’t ruined our minds yet, and technology keeps on rolling along.
Education is available to everyone
The changes and advancements in the role of technology in our lives have built a world where everyone has free access to knowledge. The library is no longer a place to simply read. No matter your income level, you can always access the internet (and all the information it supplies) from a computer in the library.
The internet is a platform for learning nearly anything your brain could desire. Online courses are offered for free. Online enrollment in college is a viable option for most people, and the simple drive to learn can take you far.
Google searches for anything and everything
Google is a huge resource for a hungry mind surfing the pages of the web. You can search for anything on Google, and the search algorithm for the engine has developed the ability to understand common language. You don’t have to be a genius to find genius information.
You can learn about abstract processes. You can learn the science behind growing a garden, the full path of chemical injection technologies, and even why people are drawn to the color red. Whatever your mind itches to learn, you can find through a simple Google search.