Distracted : the erosion of attention and the coming Dark Age
Jackson, Maggie, 1960-
This slim little book contains a wealth of information about the thought processes of the human race. The subtitle sounds ominous and indeed it could be if the wealth of "brain" studies which are currently taking place go unheeded. In the first of the three sections - exploring the "landscape of distraction" the author looks at life as we live it now –wired to our supersonic cell phones, beepers, MP3 players, television, emails, chat rooms, blogs and all things computers. There is no moment for deep reflection. What does this do to our brain cells? What does it do to our abilities to act for ourselves, make informed decisions and act responsibly? In part two she zooms in on the big three of healthy brain function, focus, judgment and awareness. Each of these is deeply affected by distraction from our mechanized world. In words meaningful to every librarian she reasserts the basic value of reading as a tool to develop reflective powers. Part three gives us a glimpse of current studies zeroing in on the importance of attention which may be the key to helping homosapiens deal with the unstoppable deluge of modern distractions. These are exciting developments and offer us hope that our children and grandchildren won't be turned into robots. Next time I travel I will think twice before popping my laptop, my MP3 player, my cell phone, palm pilot and all the chargers into my suitcase. Taking time to smell the roses, is good brain health.
Submitted by Mary Louise Hartman.