Thompson Response: Updates, Tweets, Emails, and Blogs

Finney 1

Jill Finney

RWS 100

Mr. Werry

08 September 2014

Updates, Tweets, Emails, and Blogs…

            How does tweeting, blogging, texting and the endless amounts of time spent on the Internet change how we think? Do we actually get dumbed-down? Or is the Internet phenomenon producing better, more accomplished writers? In Smarter Than You Think, by Clive Thompson, specifically his article titled “Public Thinking”, he argues that the Internet has contributed to a generation that is smarter and can write more complexly than any other before them. Students aren’t really getting the credit that they deserve; studies have shown that college students today are overall smarter than their parents were. Shockingly enough, this is due to social medias, and the needs to always be writing; whether it is tweeting, updates on Facebook, email, or blogging for the world to see. Kids are writing to audiences, and are knowingly having people reading their works; hence their writing is improving. Of course there are many arguments behind technology’s role in our lives, and Thompson’s main focus is on how it has changed our cognitive behaviors. Thompson attempts to show his audience the evolution of writing in the world by providing the readers many examples. These can be from not only studies, but also personal interactions with his mother. He weighs the advantages of technology rather than seeing the typical view: that it’s destroying our brains. In this paper, I will go into further detail regarding the multiple other claims made by Thompson as well as analyze the evidence backing up those claims. Through thorough examination of this article, I can better understand the deeper meaning to Thompsons work.

            Thompson introduces his article with a short story about a young student who starts a blog. Although she centered most of her writings on the corrupt society of her home country, Kenya, she was able to reach many people through daily blog posts. Like anyone else, she thought she had “zero ideas to say” (Thompson 45), however she later discovered that over seven years of blogging led to not only  “a witty, passionate voice, keyed perfectly to online conversation” (Thompson 45) but also “two telephone sized books” (Thompson 46) with millions of ideas. This piece introduces the reader to the majority of Thompson’s further claims in the remainder of the article. Additionally, this short story about young Okolloh can function as a piece of connection with readers. Like Okolloh, many people don’t feel very strongly about writing but knowing that a young Kenyan woman can do it, provides a sort of inspiration that others can do it as well.  Anyone, anywhere can write and be a successful writer. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you write about; there are always people listening. This strategy of intriguing the reader and connecting on a personal level is very effective and provides a solid base for the rest of Thompson’s paper. Leading to his next main idea that, “The Internet has produced a foaming Niagara of writing”(Thompson 46). In making this statement Thompson transitions to the first element of his arguments.