Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age
by Maggie Jackson
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Book Summary Information
Author: Maggie JacksonForeword: Bill McKibben
Edition: Hardcover
Published: 2008-06-04
ISBN: 1591026237
Number of pages: 327
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Book Reviews of Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age
Book Review: An Unfocused Look at Extremes Followed by Encouragement to Meditate
Summary: 2 Stars
Do you understand a society better by looking at the edges or at the middle? That's the fundamental question that any social scientist and author must answer. Ms. Jackson shows her journalist roots by making alarmist arguments about a "dark age" based on looking at the most extreme forms of inattention in society and extrapolating those extremes into a future where that's the norm. In doing so, she throws anecdote after anecdote pretty harmlessly against the wall.
Do you agree that quiet is better than too much noise? Do you think that being able to concentrate is something worth cultivating? Do you think that most of what's on the Internet is worthless junk? Are you interested in people staying focused so they can make better judgments? Do you find meditation helpful? If you said "yes" to those questions, you'll agree with this book . . . but you won't learn much that you didn't know already unless you read nothing about the way brains work. Even if you want to learn about brain physiology, this isn't a very good book.
I found the overstatement to be irritating, as well. Otherwise, I would have rated the book at three stars.
You can lead a person to education, but you can't make him or her think. that's always been a problem. The new context just adds color to the old dilemma.
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