The Shallows
The Shallows
Nicholas Carr
Tara Brach
It's really describing how technology actually shapes and changes our brain. - Tara Brach
Barack Obama
Barack Obama's favorite books of 2019 list.
Ezra Klein
One of the most prescient books of the digital age. - Ezra Klein
+
3
All books

The Shallows

The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains

Nicholas Carr
By
Nicholas Carr
3.9
4036
ratings on Goodreads

In "The Shallows," Nicholas Carr delves into the profound impact the internet has on our cognitive processes, questioning the trade-off between the wealth of information it provides and the depth of our comprehension and contemplation. Carr embarks on a riveting exploration of how various "tools of the mind," from the alphabet to the clock, have historically reshaped human thought, drawing on recent neuroscience to demonstrate how our brains adapt to the tools we use. The internet, with its ethos of speed and efficiency, is compared to earlier technologies that promoted concentration and deep thinking, revealing a stark shift towards a culture of rapid, surface-level engagement. Through this lens, Carr presents a compelling narrative that weaves together the history of intellectual technology with insights into our changing brains, suggesting that the internet's convenience may indeed be costing us our ability to engage in deep, reflective thought. Carr's narrative is not merely a critique but a journey through the intellectual and cultural consequences of our online lives, using vivid anecdotes and historical milestones to illuminate the silent transformation within us. From Nietzsche's struggle with a typewriter to Freud's marine biology experiments, "The Shallows" offers a rich tapestry of stories that highlight humanity's ongoing dance with technology. Carr challenges us to reconsider our relationship with the internet, posing an urgent inquiry into whether our prized tool of knowledge is diminishing our capacity for profound insight. This book stands as a pivotal examination of the intellectual ethic of the digital age, urging readers to ponder the future of our minds in an increasingly fragmented world.

Read more
Released
2010
7 Jun
Length
280
Pages

3

recommendations

recommendation

It's really describing how technology actually shapes and changes our brain. - Tara Brach
One of the most prescient books of the digital age. - Ezra Klein
Barack Obama's favorite books of 2019 list.
The Net’s interactivity gives us powerful new tools for finding information, expressing ourselves, and conversing with others. It also turns us into lab rats constantly pressing levers to get tiny pellets of social or intellectual nourishment.
— Nicholas Carr, The Shallows

Similar recommendations

View all
Sapiens
Sapiens
Yuval Noah Harari
32
people
person
Thinking, Fast and Slow
19
people
person
How to Change Your Mind
15
people
person
The Better Angels of Our Nature
13
people
person
Endurance
Endurance
Alfred Lansing
12
people
person
The Art Of War
12
people
person
Outliers
Outliers
Malcolm Gladwell
11
people
person
Bird by Bird
Bird by Bird
Anne Lamott
10
people
person
Finite and Infinite Games
10
people
person
Between the World and Me
Between the World and Me
Ta-Nehisi Coates
10
people
person

This site is part of Amazon’s Associates Program. Purchasing books recommended by successful individuals through my links earns us a small commission, helping keep the site running, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our site!