Is technology affecting critical thinking skills?

Through the advent of digital interfaces, the internet has taken a hold of most ways to do business. Ingenious at best, a large majority of people are on their way to earning income through the internet. With it being a new and relatively untraditional way of earning a living, it has grasped Kenya, and the world alike as a mark of adapting to the times.

But, as with any major advancement, with the same package, come a number of drawbacks. Skimming over the probable economic drawbacks, one particular social drawback comes to light. To what extent does technology affect critical thinking skills, if it does at all?

With the internet in the picture, it has become as easy as a snap to google something and receive the answer, with a variety of spin off answers, in a matter of seconds. Thus, not allowing the brain to go through its paces, and think about logical answers in a probable, systematic way. Furthermore, this results in the creation of advertisements based on recent google searches, allowing for a working mind, to just relax and allow the information to float towards it, instead of actively going out and seeking information.

This is what led to google giving instant suggestions, further allowing people to type in keywords that prompt the full search request, immobilizing the thinking process and proactively creating a sense of laziness in users.

This eventually leads to an overload of information, because of so much information being readily available, an active thinker does not feel the urge to seek information, knowing it is readily available and hence turns to procrastination.

Admittedly, technology and the Internet have brought about an influx of in enhancing the working capabilities of people and companies as a whole, so the notion of critical thinking ends up being limited to a number of individuals who do not know how to balance their thinking models or approaches.