Thoughts on "Little Mirrors"

     In Hamlet's Blackberry, Powers brought forth a new perspective on silent reading in the "Little Mirrors" chapter (chapter 7). Until the Middle Ages, owning books was a luxury only the rich could provide.  Reading was essentially a communal activity. I was already aware of this, but what I didn't realize was that silent reading, was once thought of as unconventional and abnormal. When people began to read in private it was seen as "an inner journey, shared by no one else and not subject to outside influence or control."
     We live in a day and age where information is available to everyone regardless of race, class, etc. Today we are able to obtain free information almost anywhere we go, and in the time period that Powers describes in "Little Mirrors", the extensive allocation of information was feared.
     This segment of the book struck me because we have evolved so much from our apprehensive attitude. Before, people were scared of what could result from knowing too much, whereas now we want as much information as possible, as quickly as possible. The book got me to thinking: were our predecessors right to be fearful of an information overkill? Of course not. But I think there are definitely some negative aspects to having too much information. Lies and gossip get spread more quickly, and now we have to be able to determine what is true and what isn't. With the more knowledge and information we gain, we should also obtain more responsibility for the information we choose to disseminate and share amongst each other.

Thoughts on "The Joy of Quiet"

     "The Joy of Quiet" article infers that our society has gone from whole-heartedly embracing innovative technologies that bring us together, to bringing us a new desire for our own space. When the article made references to how some feel the need to break away from the screen, I felt I could relate to that desire of freedom from technology.
     Technology has provided us with a means of connecting with others more quickly than before. It is no longer a feat to reach others across the globe; we can connect through phones, emails, texts, even visually connect with others via computer screen... but when do we reach our breaking point? When is enough, enough? Don't get me wrong... I am definitely one who likes to utilize technology to connect with others and I love that distance is no longer an issue when it comes to communication; but at times I feel I need a break, to get away from others and be able to retreat to my own space. I find myself leaving my phone behind just because at times I feel it is too invasive, having others keeping track of my whereabout 24/7... I don't like the restrictive quality a phone can sometimes have. It feels as if technology sometimes allows others to break into my "personal bubble"; our technological devices can sometimes lean towards bothersome rather than beneficial. 
     I agree with the viewpoint that sometimes we need to leave the world behind, and try to remain a peaceful state of mind... block everything else out and focus on our lives. As I've said before, technology can be a godsend; but we have to make sure that we do not allow it to take over and run our lives.