Google provided knowledge but made us dumb | Daily #168

You would be a fool to disagree that the search engine is the greatest product ever created since the Internet. The Internet search engine made it possible to have the library of Alexandria times ten at the palm of your hands. Google was the first one to have created this amazing tool and made humanity as a whole more knowledgeable.

But honestly, it made us probably even dumber.

How did you verify information pre-Google? You probably read something or a person told you something. Then you think if it could be true and practice the newly gained information to verify if it works.

Nowadays, people expect that you can find the answers to everything on Google. It doesn't even matter what question it is. The person searches topic X and reads the first three or five links and immediately believes it is gospel. There are no steps after verifying or practicing the information.

Like searching for a cooking recipe. You follow the recipe that is on the first few search results and follow all the steps. You don't question if the proportions are maybe too big. You don't question if an ingredient is maybe not needed at all. You cook it, and then it probably tastes good, and believe that this is the best recipe. Why? Because the article said it was the best recipe for cooking this dish.

Are you dumb?

We all know that all the search engine has been manipulated to drive engagement. The search engine displays the most popular sites first. Then ask yourself why is it popular? Is it because it is the truth? Maybe... But more often than not, it is because there is a consensus. Few people truly like to be disagreed with.

If there is a group of five people that really like a certain recipe, and then I come in to proceed to tell all five that they are doing something wrong with the recipe. Do you think they will like me in that position? Probably not, because there is already a consensus that the recipe is good. Even though, it may be the truth that there is something wrong with the recipe. But my thoughts will be on the second page of Google.

That's what the search engine is. It provides the most popular answers and information to drive more engagement. Meanwhile, our lazy culture build by getting answers from Google for past years has made us comfortable. 'HoW CaN IT BE FalSe, GooGLe ShOweD mE IT iS?' That's the mindset of the current generation. There are no questions. There are no verifications. There are no steps beyond what Google says. Why? Because we are too comfortable and don't want to ask questions that are complex. Which means it is making us dumber as a whole.