Review: Nicholas Carr, Superbloom: How Technologies of Connection Tear Us Apart
The emphasis in his previous book The Shallows was on how regular usage of computers and the Internet were changing the way our brains work. This book focuses on how our heavy usage of social media and Artificial Intelligence is doing the opposite of creating informed citizens who use the Internet to positively connect with others and strengthen our democracy. Instead, a whole host of social problems have developed including an increase in mental illness. Artificial Intelligence is not helping as it is easy to manipulate and can be used to spread misinformation quickly.
This present moment did not happen in an instant. In fact, it was predicted by Charles Horton Cooley who was born in 1864. Carr explains Cooley’s significance and takes us through the ideas and the technology breakthroughs in communication since the 19th century that lead us to our current social media moment.
In the final chapter Carr utilizes the story of Dr. Samuel Johnson kicking the rock and thus saying to his friend, Mr. Boswell, “thus I refute Berkley.” Berkley had recently published a philosophical book arguing that the world exists in our heads rather than that we exist in the world. Carr argues that we live in a real world and that we need to recognize the limits of technology. To think that we live on-line or that all that happens in the Internet is real is false.
Carr is a gifted and amazing writer. He keeps his story moving with stories, insights, facts, and his obvious concern for the way in which technology has monopolized our attention and imagination. I am glad I took the time to read this book.
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