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> when smart phones became popular: no one remembers phone numbers of their family, people can’t remember directions when driving. This is a concern, though I'

> when smart phones became popular: no one remembers phone numbers of their family, people can’t remember directions when driving. This is a concern, though I'd argue unrelated to the concern about people no longer contributing publicly online, and one that was already present with SO. I've seen SO posts specifically reference or criticize the "copy paste" crowd that is just taking the answer and putting it into their code without thought. Some people will use any technology blindly.

selestify 3y ago
Why is that a concern? When’s the last time you needed to remember a phone number or directions for travel?
- somenameforme 3y ago
  Because of the implied effect on things like attention span, memory, and cognition in general. It's the same reason that mastering fundamental mathematics is critical, even though we have calculators. Trends in the Flynn Effect are relevant here. [1] The Flynn Effect is the observation that "real" IQ values were increasing, dramatically, for decades. In recent decades (since births in ~1970), this effect has not only decreased but reversed in the West. And it cannot be explained by dysgenics alone, since it even shows up in same-family cohorts. That suggests environmental causes are likely playing some role. Those coming to adulthood in the 90s were the first generation to really get to experience mass, endless, and cheap dopamine driven digital entertainment. Notably the [positive] Flynn effect is still in full swing in places like China and India, where digital entertainment market saturation has taken longer. So they'll effectively work as perfect experiments. If it reverses over the coming decades, as everybody over in these places now has their heads shoved in e.g. smart phones as much as anywhere else, it should be telling. [1] - https://www.sciencealert.com/iq-scores-falling-in-worrying-reversal-20th-century-intelligence-boom-flynn-effect-intelligence https://www.sciencealert.com/iq-scores-falling-in-worrying-r...
  - selestify 3y ago
    What reasons are there to think that the reversed Flynn effect comes from a lack of memorization of rote knowledge like phone numbers, as opposed to attention-sucking social media apps?
- fragmede 3y ago
  That's the point. People used to be able to memorize 7 digit numbers and now we can't because we don't have to. Where the brain is a muscle, it's atrophying. Those parts of the brain aren't being exercised and used, so we're getting dumber. Individually and as a society. The fear is that this will become an impediment to progress.

selestify 3y ago

Why is that a concern? When’s the last time you needed to remember a phone number or directions for travel?

somenameforme 3y ago
Because of the implied effect on things like attention span, memory, and cognition in general. It's the same reason that mastering fundamental mathematics is critical, even though we have calculators. Trends in the Flynn Effect are relevant here. [1] The Flynn Effect is the observation that "real" IQ values were increasing, dramatically, for decades. In recent decades (since births in ~1970), this effect has not only decreased but reversed in the West. And it cannot be explained by dysgenics alone, since it even shows up in same-family cohorts. That suggests environmental causes are likely playing some role. Those coming to adulthood in the 90s were the first generation to really get to experience mass, endless, and cheap dopamine driven digital entertainment. Notably the [positive] Flynn effect is still in full swing in places like China and India, where digital entertainment market saturation has taken longer. So they'll effectively work as perfect experiments. If it reverses over the coming decades, as everybody over in these places now has their heads shoved in e.g. smart phones as much as anywhere else, it should be telling. [1] - https://www.sciencealert.com/iq-scores-falling-in-worrying-reversal-20th-century-intelligence-boom-flynn-effect-intelligence https://www.sciencealert.com/iq-scores-falling-in-worrying-r...
- selestify 3y ago
  What reasons are there to think that the reversed Flynn effect comes from a lack of memorization of rote knowledge like phone numbers, as opposed to attention-sucking social media apps?
fragmede 3y ago
That's the point. People used to be able to memorize 7 digit numbers and now we can't because we don't have to. Where the brain is a muscle, it's atrophying. Those parts of the brain aren't being exercised and used, so we're getting dumber. Individually and as a society. The fear is that this will become an impediment to progress.