Antibacterial WHAT?

Cleanliness and sanitation has suddenly become an obsession in today's world. The most probable cause for this fascination was the outbreak of the Swine Flu, or H1N1 in 2009 because it sparked a sense of terror in most of the country as if it were another plague. The reaction the Swine Flu received from the American public was in my opinion, ridiculous.

Everywhere you go, multiple forms of hand sanitizer seem to outnumber the actual people that surround you. One of the most prominent parts on the front of a Germ-X brand hand sanitizer bottle reads "KILLS 99.95 OF GERMS!" Germs are an entirely inevitable aspect of life and although some can cause sickness, not all germs are harmful.

High-Tech Trash by Chris Carroll

"People have always been proficient at making trash." Chris Carroll's article, "High-Tech Trash" reveals some in-depth truth about the United States' "recycling" system. Carroll's claim is that the United States' dumping of ewaste on developing countries is very hazardous, dangerous, and not to mention, extremely toxic. One reason for the overflow of waste in these developing countries is the continuous manufacturing of better, faster, and more efficient electronic products. Carroll explains that when new programs or software hit the shelves, they are already "on the verge of obsolescence" (Moore's Law). Another reason for this flood of waste are the recycling companies that don't actually do what their job entitles. Many recycling corporations, instead of putting parts and materials to good use, decide to sell their unwanted products to brokers which eventually get dumped in the developing world as a sort of "out-of-sight out-of-mind" solution. Another point that Carroll makes to support his argument is that the presence of powerful chemicals has literally "saturated" these countries and according to him, "a cycle of disease or disability is already in motion." Even though Carroll's argument is very clear and reasonable, he assumes that every American cares about recycling and that all recycling companies do not fulfill their entitled duties.

"Is Google Making us Stupid?" - Nicholas Carr

The title of Nicholas Carr's essay, "Is Google Making us Stupid?" explains the main point, or thesis of his work. The question in debate: Is the use of Google's search engine dulling the edges of our brain's contemplation? Although, in general, as a people we are reading more now than we were a few decades ago, the material that we consume has taken on some new forms such as text messages and emails. Not only has our reading style changed, but the use of Google and the Internet has brought about a "different kind of thinking" as well. Another way in which Carr furthers his argument is with the example of the change in Friedrich Neitzsche's writing when he was introduced to the typewriter. Neitzsche's written language became even more complex and "more telegraphic" because sometimes, "language often depend(s) on the quality of the pen and paper." Despite my agreement with most of Carr's claims, I do not think it is easy to assume that every single person has technology readily available to them, and if they do, how do you know they are "Googling?"

Is Google Making us Stupid?

Hmm, is Google making us stupid? That's a toughie. One thing you need to know about me before I start rambling is that I'm VERY indecisive & not surprisingly, I don't have a straight answer to this question. Google is a very useful tool because the entire world is at your fingertips, which can be both good and bad - some of the good parts being practicality and availability.

In my opinion, people today are extremely lazy. Inventions ranging from the automatic, robot-like vacuum cleaner to pre-cooked, pre-cut and pre-made food that clutters most people's refrigerators were all designed for efficiency and convenience. That's exactly what Google is, a simpler way of obtaining information, fast. Does utilizing this tool make us stupid? No, I don't think so, I think it's very smart actually because with the fast pace of life today, time is really of the essence.

Just as in the case of the printing press, it has been thought that Google could dwindle the capacity and ability of the human brain. But we have to think, is Google's functionality and information more of an easy short-cut, or is it a tool to an enormous sea of knowledge waiting to be discovered? I, myself, see it both ways.