Write to Discover WRD 103 Mary Elizabeth Buckingham Liz Lane Write to Discover 1. 1.

In light of the new privacy policy changes, do you think Google k nows too much about its users? How do you think this affects user experience and knowledge online? (Research an article about the changes to the policy if youre unfamiliar). I dont think that Google knows too much about its users now that they have change d their policies. It is strange to think that they are sort of so to speak watchi ng my every move, but it doesnt make me feel uneasy or anything because my compute r use basically consists of iTunes, facebook, fashion blogs and random orchestr a websites. I think that googles new policy definitely freaks some people out, bu t they are only doing this because they are up to fishy stuff. They wouldnt even find my information remotely interesting, so I dont really care that much. 2. How has the past five years of Internet growth changed the way we think, especially in light of Anonymous and Wikileaks? How has your perception of the I nternet changed? People are so reliant on the internet these days that if there were to be no int ernet ever again it would be so bad that people would literally be out of work. I dont know what I would do with out the internet. It is my newspaper, my tv, my mail my radio, my gallery, my source of bored entertainment, and my way to conn ect with friends who live far away. Internet has definitely become more prominen t in our society than it was five years ago, and I honestly think that people wo uld feel helpless with out it. Reading Response Questions (About a paragraph for each question, 1-2 pages collectively) 1. In Carrs article about Google, he quotes psychologist Maryanne Wolf as sa ying, We are not only what we readwe are how we read. How might this effect the rea ding of literature for future generations? How does Wolfs quote relate to our dis cussions about technology and writing? (use examples). I think this quote is interesting. I agree with it in some ways, when in other w ays I disagree. I dont think that people necessarily read differently now because of the new shorthand social media etc. that is out there. It annoys me when peo ple think that the internet/social media is dumbing us down when in fact it is g iving us a way more effective way to receive about 60% of our daily information we find necessary to learn every day, in a much faster way. When Carr says we are how we read I think that he is referring to how we are changing the way we read. I disagree with this. Yes, I read things on facebook and in blogs, but that doe snt mean that what I am reading is stupid or irrelevant and Im sick of this being the way people view the younger generations today. Were not idiots, we can still read normally. I like to read books, actual significant literature. I dont want t o reject books because I forgot how to read, or cant even imagine reading anythin g that isnt in a kindle or an iPad. Come, on. I read more than the average person does any day anyway, I read music pretty much all day every day. That counts. I ts certainly significant literature, just in a different language. Im pretty sure Beethoven, Prokofiev and Mozart are pretty significant. 2. What view does Churchwell hold about the Internet and its influence (or non-influence) on our brain? How does she persuade her reader through the views of the people she cites? How does this strengthen her argument? She cites people who she thinks have a better view on what she is thinking. I th ink that she thinks that it strengthens her argument because she thinks she is r elating to the internet generation. I dont know if I buy it. Internet influences our brain because now we expect to obtain information a lot faster than we origi nally dideven ten years ago. We can find something out that ten years ago would h

ave taken an hour in a matter of seconds. I dont know how this could be bad, or b ad for our brains. I wish I spent less time on the computer, and I think a lot about how much more productive I would be with out internet, but when I think of life without it I dont know what I would do. I think its pathetic that this what things have come to, but I think I could definitely survive without it. I actua lly think everything would be a lot more fun with out internet, when I hear my p arents talk about what they did when they were a kid Im envious of all the fun ac tivities they came up with. This doesnt mean Im incapable of doing these things, i t just means that the times have changed and now boredom is filled not with fun outdoor adventures but with YouTube and Facebook.