The Internet and our Brains

[Goldengirl]

Yes, the Internet has "dumbed us down" to the advantage of having more bits and pieces of varied information at our disposal.  I cannot read books as I used to, and have had to accept it.  It is important to stay offline at night, especially if your work requires you to be online most of the day.  I go online in the mornings, and all day at work, but rarely when I get home or at night.  My sleep has been disrupted enough, in just not being able to settle down, and then also, being much more aware of everything around me.  Not to say the Internet is to blame for all of this, but in the early days of social media, I made a decision to stay off it, as much as possible.  Family and friends still think I am nuts for foregoing Facebook and Skype.  People talk about fasting from the Internet for a week; hell, try a day!  And the easy access on our smartphones does not help at all.  It is unsettling knowing that the PTB (powers that be) know where we are, at all times.  I am simply amazed by what people expose of themselves online (even me, now!), and always remember what my grandmother said:

It is good to have "a little" mystery about yourself.

I believe the quick and dirty presentation on the Internet (versus extended and deep analysis, similar to a meditative state) also has played havoc to people's intuitions.  Intuition is not fear.  I see much fear everywhere these days, people quick to judge and quick to anger.  Or, conversely, way too accepting ... almost a nihilist point of view.

Our dreams, therefore, must be equally affected, in various ways.

Thanks NH and Julie too because I think this discussion is important to our well-being, and our well-being is important to our dreaming. There have been studies done where people who have been dream-deprived get messed up psychologically. I stayed offline last night, though nothing to note yet. While I remember dreaming, I don't remember about what. Even just the blue-light from devices can prevent you from sleeping deeply. And don't get me started about how everyone roams around with their faces in their device, not talking to one another!