Is media multitasking turning our brains to mush?

I don’t see in what way multitasking can possibly increase productivity. This is related in a way to being a jack of all trades and a master of none.

If 80% of adolescents end up not getting their recommended sleep of about nine hours, there are at least two issues here, one being discipline and the other addiction. Parents in general don’t seem to want to put their foot down as and when necessary any more, as demonstrated by other problems that media overuse.

As far as addiction is concerned, adoloscents aren’t the only ones to suffer. People aren’t addicted just to telly any more, but to their mobile phones, to their laptops and whatnot, apparently suffering from withdrawal symptons, being very agitated, when they find themselves without their mobiles for example. As we well know addiction is something that is difficult to get rid of, even if you are aware that you are addicted, as demonstrated by Hannah Jolliffe.

Anther issue is wanting to “keep up”. It seems very few of us are able to ask the question, “keep up with what?”, and then find the answer, “nothing vital “.

I only wish that now as an OAP that one thing at a time could be completed properly let alone more as you have stated , there is too much in the modern world that is there to take our attention to complete anything properly thus so many things in the world are in such a mess compared with my mid life time when it was said ” if a thing is worth doing properly do one thing at a time ” . I am now being told by many ladies that we men could or cannot multi task anyway , so am sure that things will get a lot worse in the very near future !!! .

As far as I’m concerned. The present obsession with “instant communication” or “brain dead entertainment” is detrimental to the overall education of everyone.

A major reason for poor diction – poor spelling – poor arithmetic skills etc – are all due to lack of emphasis on basics. exacerbated by the lack of concern by too many who should care.

One example – I taught mathematics – my fellow teachers emphasised the use of calculators to their pupils. I did not and gave the pupils mental arithmetic tests every Friday (which the kids liked). The children were all in carefully selected mixed ability classes. But in the exams – both internal and external – my classes always did far better overall. I was accused of somehow “cheating”

If one starts at a disadvantage it is incredibly hard to catch up.

As for multitasking – I ignore it – I have seven computers – two phones – two data collectors. But I only use them one at a time – which is exactly what people really do – How many people have you seen – using a phone with one hand – a computer with the other hand – and manipulating a football with a foot??