The brain outsourcing our memories

Brian is the most mysterious part of human body. It is said that we are now using only 5% of brain function, which implies potential exploration is possible. This 5% has already been enough contributing to learning new knowledge, memorizing what we experience every day, inventing anything never existing before, and even conquering rest of the creatures in the world to become lord of this planet.

Ability to memorize is one of the most significant functions of our brain. With memories, we can learn from the past, judging how to make a proper response while encountering a similar situation, or improving based on previous failures. Dating back to prehistoric era, while paper, writing tools, or anything used for record and documentation had not yet created, the only database was human brains. Knowledge and information are transmitted orally. No doubt the elderly in any given tribe was highly respected since she was a living information centre. However, information is easily distorted or even lost during the process. As later paper and pens were invented, information being documented accurately became possible. However, no. of copies created was still limited as could not be replicated in mass scale. Although improved, the age of knowledge booming had not came until the widespread of printing technology, which finally ignited the fire of the Renaissance. By this time, our important memories could be easily reproduced by printing, portable for convenient reading, which are no more luxuries for modern people. Education, in terms of both quality and quantity has been tremendously raised.

But human technology never stops here. Thanks to the inventions of computers, optic fibres and the internet, when you need to check up something, there is no need to ask anybody or turn pages of reference books. All you need to do is to google. With a click or two on your mouse, you will have countless results for you only to select from. Some studies claimed that the generation who live on the digital planet relying it to help them to store and acquire information. They have poorer memory because they just don’t need it. The essential skill has now been replaced by the techniques to pick the right information you are exactly looking for and eliminate noise information. That’s too convenient that we just cannot resist the temptation to use the internet first before we allow ourselves to search and develop ideas in our brain.

The appearing of the internet has reshaped our brain to think and memorize. Given that it provides a massive pool of information, will it further stimulate our creativity because, or just make us lazier and worsen our memories? I think time will tell.