Was life better before the internet? A new book explores how it has drastically reduced our ability to concentrate and, despite its benefits, increased the stress of daily life.
Average attention span drops to 47 seconds
Was life better before the internet? A new book explores how it has drastically reduced our ability to concentrate and, despite its benefits, increased the stress of daily life.
<h2 class=" eplus-wrapper" id="crosshead">Download overload?</h2>
Gemma reaches for her phone and starts to read an article about Ukraine. But suddenly an ad pops up for a cool pair of trainers. She is about to buy them when a text arrives: "Have you seen the photo Kim posted??" So she opens Instagram...
Our attention spans have become "crazily" short, writes Dr Gloria Mark in a new book.
In 2004 she timed office workers as they switched from one thing to another on their computers. The average time between switches was 150 seconds. Now, she says, it is just 47.
When people only had printed books and newspapers, most of them read more slowly, says another expert, Professor Maryanne Wolf:
"Screens are designed to make us read very quickly: to scan, skim and scroll. As a result, we don't give the text our full attention."
Then there is the buzzing or beeping from your phone telling you that a text has arrived. Because our brains are designed to pay attention to new things, "These alerts are almost impossible to ignore," writes Dana G Smith in The New York Times.
But there are ways of fighting back. One is "deep reading": putting your phone on silent for at least 20 minutes a day while you read a physical book.
Another is a "tech break". You start by setting an alarm for 15 minutes and silencing your phone. When the alarm goes off, you are allowed two minutes to check your phone. Then you put it on silent again.
The aim is to extend the time between breaks to 30 or 45 minutes.
According to one marketing expert,1 feeling overwhelmed online has made people nostalgicFeeling happy but also slightly sad about a past time which is no longer happening. for life before the internet - even ones who are too young to know what it was like.
Because of this longing for a simpler world, many people are turning to old technology, such as vinyl records and PolaroidA small camera that can take, develop and print a photograph in just a few seconds. cameras. They also love watching old TV series such as Friends.
Yes: People had real lives rather than virtual ones. Vital services were not open to cyber attacks. There was no FOMOFear of missing out. , easily spread fake news, Twitter squabbling, mass surveillance or online bullying.
No: Everything is quicker and easier today, from shopping to banking to gathering information. You can talk to a friend on the other side of the world for free, and enjoy the fun of social media.
Or... At the moment there is a reasonable balance between the advantages and disadvantages of the internet. But the coming of GFifth generation mobile broadband. This is the latest broadband technology for mobile phones, and is estimated to be many times faster than the current 4G. and the internet of thingsThe 5G system is expected to transform the internet, allowing multiple devices to connect with each other. For example, a driverless car will be able to pick up traffic reports and change its route for a faster one. could change that drastically.
Nostalgic - Feeling happy but also slightly sad about a past time which is no longer happening.
Polaroid - A small camera that can take, develop and print a photograph in just a few seconds.
FOMO - Fear of missing out.
5G - Fifth generation mobile broadband. This is the latest broadband technology for mobile phones, and is estimated to be many times faster than the current 4G.
Internet of things - The 5G system is expected to transform the internet, allowing multiple devices to connect with each other. For example, a driverless car will be able to pick up traffic reports and change its route for a faster one.
<h5 class=" eplus-wrapper" id="question"><strong>Was life better before the internet? </strong></h5>
Average attention span drops to 47 seconds

Glossary
Nostalgic - Feeling happy but also slightly sad about a past time which is no longer happening.
Polaroid - A small camera that can take, develop and print a photograph in just a few seconds.
FOMO - Fear of missing out.
5G - Fifth generation mobile broadband. This is the latest broadband technology for mobile phones, and is estimated to be many times faster than the current 4G.
Internet of things - The 5G system is expected to transform the internet, allowing multiple devices to connect with each other. For example, a driverless car will be able to pick up traffic reports and change its route for a faster one.