Is Google Making Us Stupid? (Rhetorical Analysis Essay)

The internet has become necessary in society, especially in the 21st century. Proposing it should be done away with altogether would meet with much resistance, probably even a revolution. In his article "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" Nicholas Carr depicts the internet as a technology opponent that gradually changes the human brain to benefit some elite. Since it is difficult to convince a world that is hooked onto the internet about the possible dangers of the internet, Carr uses several forms of appeals to achieve his goal. He employs ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade the reader that the internet harms cognition; the author significantly alters the reader's perception of this technology.

Carr uses ethos mostly to gain the trust of his readers and make them believe that other sources of information could be better. Ethos is about creating credibility and proving the source's authority by appealing to the authority. Carr investigates professional opinions from online media representatives, computer bloggers, scientific researchers, psychologists, sociologists, and neuroscientists. One can mention Maryanne Wolf, an expert in the field of developmental psychology, as one of them. According to Wolf, the Net encourages a form of reading that is fast and efficient and therefore reduces the ability to read thoroughly: "The style of reading that the Net is promoting is a 'fast-food' style of reading that is based on 'efficiency' and 'immediacy' and this may be eroding our ability to read deeply which developed when the 'print culture' in the form of the printing press made lengthy and complicated works of Thus, citing Wolf, a specialist in the field of cognitive development, Carr strengthen his argument significantly. This reference hints at Carr's argument that the scientific community backs him up as they observe that the internet hinders deep reading and thinking. Thus, readers are more likely to change their attitudes towards the effects of Internet use on cognitive processes.

Pathos appeals to the reader's emotions, supporting Carr's idea that the internet harms cognition. Pathos is the means of influencing the audience's emotions to gain their support. Carr uses more descriptions and appealing words that make the reader develop tension and even fear. He says, "Over the past few years, I have had an uncomfortable sense that someone, or something, has been tinkering with my brain, remapping the neural circuitry, reprogramming the memory" (Carr 2). This statement is also filled with vivid imagery and passionate words that evoke the feeling of invasion and change of the brain, which corresponds with the reader's anxieties about losing control over one's mind. Following Isai et al.'s assertion that language choice may affect the audience emotionally, Carr employs emotionally charged language that strengthens the persuasiveness of his argument (Isai et al. 21). In this way, by attributing the internet to the role of a secret saboteur who interferes with core thinking functions, Carr makes audiences think about the price society pays for the comfort and efficiency of digital knowledge.

One of the most characteristic aspects of Carr's work is logos, or an appeal to logic, as he attempts to prove that the internet is harmful to one's brain. Logos entails presenting an argument based on facts in a logical way. Carr supports his arguments using statistical data, factual evidence, and historical analogs. He further elaborates on the brain's plasticity, saying, "The synaptic connections that make up the mental network of about one hundred billion neurons in the skull is not set in concrete. Even the adult brain is 'very plastic.' Neurons sever old connections and forge new ones with others" (Carr 14). This statement is based on neuroscience and underlines the brain's plasticity, claiming that Internet use can substantially impact the mechanisms of cognition even in the adult age. Carr uses the argument from the authority of science by citing James Olds, a reputable neuroscientist. Also, Carr employs historical examples to support his assertion of the internet's integration into society. He tries to convey the same message regarding the internet and its effect on society as that of the clock and its effect, saying that in deciding when to eat, work, sleep, or rise, we stop listening to our senses and start obeying the clock. He further argues that the internet has replaced various technologies and is the tool that determines various aspects of life. To support his analogy, Carr refers to Alan Turing's work to illustrate how the internet is a replacement for previous technologies and the human mind. This historical comparison supports the claim that the internet now regulates cognitive processes as the clock regulates people's actions.

Technological expert Nicholas Carr contributes to the mass media with an article that outlines the possible detrimental impacts of the internet on cognition. He uses ethos, pathos, and logos in a very effective manner in order to support his argument. Thus, Carr can have a strong ethos by using quotes from experts and sources in his scholarly research. His use of pathos through emotional and vivid language effectively grabs the reader’s attention and makes him or her concerned with the effects of the internet. At the same time, the logical argumentation coupled with references to scientific evidence and historical parallels gives a rational ground to Carr’s statements. Carr’s arguments are convincing; however, the article could use more statistical data to strengthen the logical appeal. Integrating more research data would add more substance to Carr’s argument because that would offer evidence of how the internet affects cognitive functions.

Therefore, summarizing the article of Nicholas Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”, it is possible to conclude that the author uses a complex rhetorical strategy to prove the given thesis about the detrimental impact of the internet on cognition. Carr uses ethos to appeal to the reader’s reason by using references from other authors and scientific findings. Pathos is employed to call for action and stress the perceived threats of the internet to cognitive processes. Logos are used to give reasons and arguments that may support Carr’s assertions and to give historical examples. It should be noted that Carr employs various persuasive rhetorical techniques in order to support his argument; however, more statistics would strengthen the logical aspect of his reasoning. Finally, Carr’s article poses a question as to whether such easy access to information through the internet is worth the toll on one’s brain.