lordgoldeneyes 's review for:

The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr

4.25

informative medium-paced

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The Shallows is an incisive exploration of how the internet has, and continues to, change the way we think. It begins by giving a few historical examples of similar technologies that create unique "intellectual ethic" and illustrating how those paradigm-shifting inventions affected human thought. Then it proceeds into a much deeper dive the internet in particular; from some of the fundamental technologies and ideas behind computing to some of the philosophies that drove Google to become what it is. It's written in a very accessible manner, with very few exceptions where some of the detail goes beyond what a layman can reasonably comprehend, and I appreciated the logical approach and organization of the narrative. Even 15 years after its publishing, The Shallows is still as poignant as it would have been when it was written, if not more so. If you're remotely interested in how technological trends can literally change how we think, look no further.