Our Minds Are Surely Changing

Mind Change: How Digital Technologies Are Leaving Their Mark on Our Brains by Susan Greenfield offers an exciting look into the ways digital technologies are changing not only our brains, but the way our minds work. She identifies the dangers of the rapidly changing electronic world around us. Days of boredom and imagination are seemingly behind us and there are many controversies about what is considered acceptable and what is not. As she points out, there are numerous ways technologies are affecting us and these affects are complex, connected, and changeable. The rise of social networking on the internet is increasing our connectivity and severely impacting our identities. Social networking is affecting our empathy which is in turn affecting our relationships. Greenfield emphasizes the importance of creating our own links between video games, attention spans, and recklessness. She reveals the significance of understanding how screen time is very different from real life and the depth of our knowledge is one example of what is at stake. Despite the many predictions of what our world will look like without awareness of these topics, there are many ways to spread this knowledge as long as we brainstorm and prioritize what we need to do as a society to address this important matter.

In the beginning of her book, Greenfield forces us to consider just how much the world is changing and why. When it comes to digital technologies, we cannot assume that just because one person may be able to achieve a healthy balance of face to face interactions and digital technologies, it does not mean that everyone can (5). Parents are having a difficult time pulling their children away from screens and this proves that parent control may not provide a better future in this matter (6). Greenfield uses the popular term ‘Digital Natives’ to describe the youth culture that knows no other version of society than one that is comfortable with the internet and screen devices (6). It is important to note that she realizes moderation is crucial in many endeavors, but young people are spending time using entertainment media for fifty plus hours per week (9). Referring to our changing environment, Greenfield notes, “Add in the sensory distractions of an all-encompassing and vivid audio visual universe encouraging a shorter attention span, and you might become, as it were, a computer yourself: a system responding efficiently an processing information very well, but devoid of deeper thought” (14). In addition, she offers the interesting realization that children do not laugh as much or enjoy devices like they do being outside (21). Back in the day, boredom was seen as a positive thing because it warranted the use of imagination (22). Clearly Greenfield is forcing us to considering our reliance on digital technologies as a global phenomenon that needs be addressed.

As the title Mind Change suggests, digital technologies are heavily linked to our brain activity. Greenfield notes that neurotransmitters communicate and reveal that the ‘use it or lose it’ idea applies to changes in the brain (51, 52). Consequently, one of Greenfield’s main points is that humans desire neurotransmitters like dopamine and oxytocin because they give feelings of pleasure and well-being (90). Therefore, she is trying to point out that humans are receiving these neurotransmitters from digital technology experiences which is alarming in comparison to former days of healthier activities for the brain, such as walking. External inputs from our world change the organization of our brain cells and therefore our thinking as well (54). Our experiences change our brain activity which is exactly why digital technologies have an impact on us. Greenfield makes the important point that our brains affect our behavior, but our behavior affects our brain as well (54). Since the brain undergoes continuous physical change, it is crucial to provide humans of all ages with enriched environments (62, 63). The important factor to know here is that the duration of our activities matters (64). Knowing that our brains are very much impacted by our external environments, it is clear why Greenfield is urging us to consider these issues.

As mentioned before, digital technologies are increasing our connectivity as well as our dopamine and oxytocin levels. This is especially the case within the special topic of social networks, which are websites and applications that enhance connection with other users. Facebook is dominating the western social networking market and creating more desire to ‘feel good’ as suggested by the dopamine and oxytocin levels mentioned above (97). Greenfield reveals that our electronic interactions are more prevalent than our face-to-face interactions and coincidently the way we socialize has changed (100). There is an issue of loneliness in the new way we interact because we do not get to see others facial reactions and cues. She uses the term ‘hyper connectivity’ to describe the age we live in and goes on to reveal how our identities are changing because of this notion. Fake identities, such as a Facebook profiles which reveal what someone likes is much different than real identities which show how people react to situations and crises (115). Although it is unfortunate, social network users are generally creating a rise in cultural narcissism as users navigate through inevitable issues of self-comparison, envy, and living primary for approval and recognition (122-125). One of Greenfield’s main points is that social networks reduce our face-to-face interactions and this is problematic. Referring to this idea, she notes “And if empathy arises from the experience of interpersonal face-to-face communication, but we are good only at what we rehearse, then the reduction in face-to-face communication would reduce our ability to empathize” (135). Clearly Greenfield is trying to point out the thought-provoking significance of living in a screen filled world where humans are abandoning interpersonal connection.

Another important topic Greenfield brings to light is video games and their potential to increase attention issues and low level aggression while also threatening our relationships. MMORPG’s stand for massively multiplayer online role-playing games and they are the most addictive type of video game (154). Considering the addictive nature of video games, relationships are abandoned in many cases and this establishment is eerily similar to other addictive things like gambling and drugs (156-158). Although Greenfield is subtly suggesting that the links between video games and attention and aggression cannot technically be proven, she is asking us to create our own links between them. In terms of the lack-of-attention issue, silence is a thing of the past (168). Therefore, attentiveness to mundane tasks is a risk also (175). In this case and similar to what was previously mentioned, the duration of time one spends playing video games matters and affects attention disorders (177). As for the issue of aggression and recklessness, video games may be a significant factor although not the sole one (184). Considering the all-encompassing nature of the audio and visual experience video games provide, it is no surprise that they can result in a loss of self-awareness (188). Greenfield points out that humans are wired to adapt to environments, which explains why children learn best by seeing and trying (194). She is clearly pointing out that humans have the capacity to calibrate to the gaming world and this is cause for concern (198).

Beyond her concerns with social networks and video games is Greenfield’s concern with surfing on the internet and screen time in general. Now more than ever there is an emphasis on fast evaluation of information rather than detailed scrutiny (205). For anyone who is concerned with the importance of attaining a substantial depth of knowledge, then this issue is worth knowing. The internet is providing tiny windows of time to receive information, such as videos shown on a website called YouTube (211). When information is presented this way, no meaning is provided and Greenfield sees this as problematic (211). In other words, technology is useful for spreading ideas but not for cultivating them (212). Along with the issue of retention come other issues with screen time as well. For instance, the physical layout of reading on paper versus on a screen allows for better comprehension (215). Not only do we get eye strain from devices, but they are providing too many opportunities for multi-tasking because of the vast amount of opportunities the internet provides (216). Literacy habits are being influenced because Greenfield notes that multi-tasking forces reading time to be longer due to a lack of understanding (217). Although children with special learning needs are not motivated simply by texts from books, there is no denying that paper books offer permanence to most that reassure and create a sense of security (222-226). After learning about these issues, it is clear that the sooner society becomes active about them, the better.

Encouraging us to think differently, Greenfield enforces an interesting idea. Referring to a quote from Isaac Asimov, a science fiction writer at the New York World’s Fair in 1964 predicted an idea which most people would probably agree with in present time: “Even so, mankind will suffer badly from the disease of boredom, a disease spreading more widely each year and growing in intensity. This will have serious mental, emotional and sociological consequences, and I dare say that psychiatry will be far and away the most important medical specialty in 2014. The lucky few who can be involved in creative work of any kind will be the true elite of mankind, for they alone will do more than serve a machine” (247). Clearly, both Asimov and Greenfield are concerned about the direction of our changing world of heavy digital technology users, but personal and work-related creative pursuits may prove to be an effective answer. Greenfield predicts a dangerous future including dementia, late retirement ages, literacy issues, uncanny augmentations of reality, changes in sex habits, and increases in obesity. According to her, it is crucial to raise questions about our future world, rather than try to discredit any predictions being made (249-261). Although we continue to face many issues with digital technologies, it is important to decide what our priorities are, what kind of society we want, and what kind of individual traits we value (269). Ironically, print and broadcast media can help our chances of spreading the word as an effort to offer everyone as many insights as possible (269). In the end of the book, Greenfield emphasizes the need to gather data about these issues now rather than later (270). With that being said, she ends with a thought-provoking notion when she says “Working out what this connectivity may mean, and what we decide to do about it, is surely the most far reaching and exciting challenge of our time” (272).

Greenfield, Susan. Mind Change: How Digital Technologies Are Leaving Their Mark on Our Brains. Random House, 2015.