Data at our Fingertips, Memory out the Door

I was so psyched to see this article in the New York Times on internet usage and its effects on memory. I’ve been thinking about this idea for quite some time, but have continually forgotten to look up info on the topic. Hi ho.

I can often feel how drastically my memory capability has decreased. And it feels scary to be honest. It feels weakening, as if you’re constantly starting anew. A bulk of the information I attain and use comes from quick internet searches about syntax of a programming language here or how to convert character encodings there. This information is generally accesible within seconds while I’m working, and when else would I need it? So, I’ve gotten used to having an external memory drive which is the internet.

And that’s fine if this is isolated to work-related content, but I can’t remember shit about anything anymore. Information feels slippery and I have to seriously concentrate to retain even the smallest thing. I mean, I do have a herniated disk and tendonitis in both my knees, so maybe I can just chalk this up to some accelerated aging disease.