Chapter 5 Summary

Nicholas Carr, in "The medium of the most general nature," the fifth chapter in his book The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, Carr talks about the transition from old techologies to new technologies. He starts off by introducing Alan Turing and Charles Babbage who both played an important role in the creation of the programmable machine. The new programmable machines allowed text, pictures, and sounds to be accessed online. This new technological overcame the use of old technologies. People around the world changed the way they read books, listen to music, and watch movies. On the downside, Carr brings up the loss of profit from businesses. But as the Net grows, businesses have learned to adapt with it. It is astonishing to think about how technology has taken over our lives compared to the past. Carr said in one of his paragraphs that, "Our use of the Net will only grow, and its impact on us will only strengthen, as it becomes ever more present in our lives."