The Shift from Page to Screen: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

In the generation we live in now, print is disappearing and "going digital." Now, newspapers that were commonly thrown out by the paper boy in the morning are getting replaced by online articles and news websites. With the rate at which commonly printed items being replaced by more modern, digitized version rapidly increasing, we stand face-to-face with a bitter-sweet moment: recognizing the opportunities and gains, but also the hazards and losses due to a shift from page to screen. It's important for everyone be aware of these benefits and consequences because everyone is affected by this shift-some more than others.

I'm more of a visual learner, who likes things short, sweet, and to the point, and I'm pretty sure you don't want to spend your time reading line after line of  the negatives and positives of "the shift," so I think a list would be more appropriate for this topic.Since Turkle and Gopnik caused me to think about this issue, I also think its appropriate to compare their views:

The Good

• Continual connectivity to technology could increase productivity and memory (Turkle)
• News gets transported more quickly than in earlier times (Turkle)
• Online, we feel enhanced because networked, we are together (Turkle)
• Some technologies have shaped our lives, minds, and societies (Gopnik)

The Bad and the Ugly:

• Turkle argues that we expect more from technology and less from each other. She also states that the digital era has turned us all into cyborgs now, and addresses the contradiction that technology always keeps us connected, but very alone.
• The global reach of connectivity can make the most isolated outpost into a center of learning and economic activity (Turkle)
• Technology allows you to wonder in and out of the physical real. It alse leads to distracted academics and a decrease in attention sharing (Turkle)
• Technology dominates everyday activity (Gopnik)
• It's hard to know how new technologies will affect us (Gopnik)
• Technology will lead to devalued and alienated lives rather than enriched ones (Gopnik)
• We communicate through highly abstract symbols, rather than face to face (Gopnik)

From the two opposing lists, we see that Turkle and Gopnik point out more negatives than positives in making the switch from page to screen. Do you agree with their arguments, disagree, or both? Are there things that you think should be added to either list?