Learning and Memorizing

In the previous lesson about learning potentials “Everyday Enemies of Your Mind”, we addressed some everyday problems that interfere with the healthy functioning of our mind.

We learned that the way we use technology is one of the main enemies when it comes to learning, the ability to focus, the ability to feel, and understand.

When it comes to the narrow meaning of learning or adoption of information, dementia caused by our technology “helpers” is constantly present.

Have you ever thought of all of the information you had to remember when you were younger, and you did that without any greater effort?

Think of all those phone numbers, birthdays, street maps that you had to know. Do you know today any phone number of the people you call on a daily basis?

To memorize 10 or more numbers today already sounds like a mission impossible, and why should we, when our devices can remember them for us?

The same goes for all other sorts of information. There is no need to have them in long-term memory when we can access them easily, any time.

And there was even scientific belief that this is good for the brain because it is not bothered with irrelevant information, which leaves more space for relevant ones.

Contrary to this, Nicolas Carr, an American writer who did a lot of research on the relation between technology and brain functioning says that contemporary IT expelled the ability of long-term memory.

Namely, today we know that the brain functions more like a muscle, than some kind of hard disk with finite space.

In other words, the more that is used, the stronger it becomes, increasing its possibilities, and contrary, the less it is used the faster it atrophy.

Today we use our brain less, and we let our devices think for us. Like our body, when it spends most of the time in a sitting, static position, the mind becomes weaker and unhealthier.