Follow the bouncing ball

[debetesse]

You know that "this is not engaging me. Fetch more stimulation!" feeling? I think the Internet (and my way of relating to it) has raised my multi-tasking to the point that I can't not multi-task.

Apart from, sometimes, story-reading (and even then, Hyper-text brain is busy tying new lines on the brain-web, or running back up and down existing ones, adding weight to the connections), there isn't much that will hold the attention of my brain all by itself. So, I find myself sitting in class, checking the board or reading or basically anything text-based on the computer, so as not to attract too much attention from my classmates (when we're not taking dictation, which requires the full attention of my fingers, at least). I also find myself doing this with television, cooking (when I can pull it off, which will be more often, with Spiffy!New!iPod!), cleaning, driving...you know, pretty much everything (even conversation, when I'm not careful).

I'm not sure if this is Brave New Abi, or something to be worried about. Probably both.

I mean, the whole ethos inherent in the Internet is that there are a thousand things happening at once, and their all inter-related, so the more of them you can keep up with, the better your understanding will be. And, with the ability to run multiple programs, connecting music with writing with reading with conversation is inherent. Not only connecting, but concurrence.

On the other hand, as a teacher, while the ability to keep track of what's going on in front of me as well as what's going on over there, and how what happened last week connects to what Josh here did last week will be a good. I guess I just need to work on making sure the person right in front of me at least feels like they have my whole attention (even if it's only most of it)

Comments

[mearagrrl.livejournal.com]

I know the feeling--I have a hard time "just" watching TV, these days--have to be online or with a book also or something (TiVO totally enables this habit, so that if I miss somethign I can rewind). It's dreadful--makes me even MORE easily bored, which is so not somethign I need.

[pix-kristin.livejournal.com]

I went through a similar transformation a few years ago, and I found it profoundly unsettling. I think it is largely (for me at least) a result of the internet multitasking that has become so important, but it has made grading essays very difficult for me. I find that I now have to physically isolate myself to be productive. I seem to have fewer problems with one-on-one contact, but large groups? Oy. Takes a real effort.

[debetesse.livejournal.com]

Its interesting you say that. I have, at least since High School, I think, had trouble listening to/hearing the person right in front of me. To the point that, for most people, I have to be looking at their mouths if there's much background noise happening. I'm pretty sure I don't have a hearing problem, as I can respond to conversations across the room. It's just bizarre.