apparently google makes us stupid..and youtube antistars

I disagree with a lot of Nicholas Carr's article about Google making people stupid. First off being too lazy to read an entire article isn't because of the internet. Second off there is literally a million things I could learn right now just by typing in any question to google. I think google is an incredible resource, it is original in that before it's time there was nothing like it except everything in books, but who ever sat down to read an entire encyclopedia anyway? Google gives people the ability to look up anything you could possibly imagine from one source, not even an encyclopedia could ever do that. I think being able to link that much information at one place is a great thing and if i search something and a whole article comes up i probably won't read the whole thing either, but i will read until i learn what i wanted, and i think i probably learn more as i look for the information i want. For me i will read, or skim, or completely ignore an article depending on how interesting the writing is, or how interested i am in the topic. I dont think it is google's fault that Carr's article wasn't something i read with ease and optimism, but that an article on a tv show i like would be something i read with ease. Also, i feel that there is no way a source with that much information could make you stupid plus you cant really blame it on one website. I think people's tendency to do less reading has to do with all the access to different technologies we have today. Everything Carr said about the advertisements being a way to make us skip from link to link, doesn't seem so accurate. I just think the web advertisements are simply a way for companies to gain more viewers, its just like commercials on tv, sure they can affect you but they dont take away from what you are doing so much. If you were going to read the article you still will. I did find Carr's statements about people having skepticism and fear for things like the written word and the printing press, and i think as with those things internet reading, and skimming of information online is something that will be normal one day, and people wont worry about it ruining our lives, which to me is a little dramatic anyway.

In Evan Lushing's article about youtube stars he talks about 4 popular "classic" youtube videos. I think he made good choices considering I had seen all except the "Palchelbel Guitar Hero" but he also makes a good point about how these people are not your typical stars. As for the star wars kid and the numa numa guy i dont really suspect they would have ever been casted for a tv show or movie, but the internet accepts them and they have been able to become stars. While most of their fans are probably laughing at them, I think these youtube stars were able to gain a lot of attention which may not have been there intention but at least they got their 15 minutes. I think the fact that youtube can make people famous by doing something totally embarrassing is cool and kind of scary since i wouldnt really want a video of me dancing or singing on the internet to be seen by millions.