irb post 2

This article addresses the idea that the world has changed from an age of ideas and enlightenment to an age of information and social networking. The “big idea” no longer exists in today’s society because people are more focused on obtaining knowledge for the purpose of staying in the loop.

The author, Neal Gabler, begins by referencing great thinkers from history, such as Albert Einstein. He praises them for their intellect and ability to drive society forward. He then goes on to say that our generation has taken a step backwards and we are getting dumber. He describes it as “post-enlightenment”; meaning a “style of thinking that no longer deploys the techniques of rational thought.” Gabler credits the internet for the Age of Information and knowing everything we could ever want to know. We have an abundance of information in our world, more than we can process.

Gabler also mentions friends of his who are artists. They say that because the world lacks great critics, the art world is beginning to feel adrift. The same can be said for other parts of society, such as politics or economics. The world is simply more focused on spreading and gaining knowledge and not many people are coming up with big Ideas.

The thing I take issue with in this article is that Gabler is so critical of the way the world is shaping to be. For example, Gabler writes, “We have become information narcissists, so uninterested in anything outside ourselves and our friendship circles.” It seems as though the author is displeased with the current Age of Information. I believe that the world is simply becoming more efficient. People nowadays still create and innovate, just in different ways. We use the internet and social media as a way of communicating. But we also use it to share our ideas and educate ourselves on current events. The internet is not one sided and cannot be categorized into just a few genres.

Yes, the world is evolving into an Age of Information and yes, social networking has become the primary way to communicate amongst young people. But just because the world is changing doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. It just means we need to observe the changes and adapt to them.

Gabler, Neal. "Thr Elusive Big Idea." The New York Times, 13 Aug. 2011. Web. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/opinion/sunday/the-elusive-big-idea.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all>.