There are several things to bear in mind when considering how our brains deal with the internet. However, the internet does give us a far more direct, constant and wide ranging access to information than pretty much anything else in human history. The human attention system is complicated, and so again, it’s an unclear picture. The brain’s attention system and preference for novel experiences existed long before the internet did, the internet is just something that makes these aspects particularly irksome. By creating a situation where we’re constantly trying to impress and being judged by others, perhaps the internet isn’t doing our brains much good after all.

Source: The Guardian October 08, 2016 06:32 UTC