Uncle Google Know-it-all

The Internet is a bottomless source of information. That’s a fact. Among other things, we ofen come across some wise quotes by wise people, like this one:
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Anything wrong in this quotation? Anything striking?

I hope it hasn’t taken you more than 3 seconds to answer this quesion:) Definitely Lincoln was an intelligent man, but as far as I know – not a prophet. So he couldn’t have said that. However, this meme is a short test of how much we trust the Internet. OK, maybe this one is obvious, but what I want to say is that very often, too often, we believe and absorb mindlessly everything we see or read on the Internet. Why? Because it’s so easy – you google it, you get it. It might seem we live in very convenient times, when everything is available in five seconds time. It might also seem that learning is easier for you, than it used to be for me and other dinosaurs born before 1990s. You probably often hear your parents say – “When I was your age, I had to learn much, much more, so school should be a piece of cake for you!”

11050272_1545809705708614_7817127849470239671_nBut it’s not true. Even if you don’t need to learn all this unnecessary stuff by heart, you have to learn another difficult skill – the ability to find and verify information. In “prehistoric” times, I mean the times before the Internet became popular, information was quite stable. It was written down, in most cases signed with the name of the author. It wasn’t easy to change it.
Now, everyone can pretend an expert on any topic and publish any chosen information on the Internet. You google it, you get it. The problem is you get a load of rubbish.
So what to do not to fall into this trap? Let me give you just 5 most important tips:
1. Always check the information in several different places.
2. Check the source of the information – where does it originally come from? If there is no source given it isn’t necessarily wrong, but you should check it with other sources.
3. Check the last update. When was it published? The article might not be up-to-date.
4. Who wrote it? Is there any author given? If yes, is it a well-known person or institution?
5. What kind of website is it a private website, .org or blog or a commercial website .com or government .gov.

And finishing my post, I’d like to ask you a question: could you live without the Internet for a month or two? Would it make a big difference in your life? What would be the most difficult in this situation?

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Pictures’ sources: www.pinterest.com; www.minionsonly.com; www.theamazingpics.com

8 Responses to Uncle Google Know-it-all

  1. what a terrible question! It’s so strange when I don’t check my facebook or snapchat for one day! Internet is my source of information. Uncle google always helps me. Tells what’s happening in the world. So my answer is: NO, I couldn’t live without the internet for even a day.

  2. Live without internet ? It’s not possible in 21century ! One day without Facebook , Instagram , Snapchat – okay but month ? No ! It would make a HUGE difference in my life ! Internet is my “book of knowledge ” ! I can find in it whatever I want and when I want . The most difficult in my opinion would be this feeling than I can’t check everything in one place in literally a few secounds ! It’s really horrible ! So yeah my answer is definately no – I can’t live without Internet for month … or even a week !

  3. I actually hadn’t my phone and laptop for a week. The worst was that constant feeling like something is missing. I always checked my pocket to serch for my phone, and when I couldn’t find it I han a miner panic attack. But then I remeberd why. It wasn’t so bad tho… I still got my books 🙂

  4. I can’t imagine myself without the Internet for a month or even a week! By dint of the Internet I have constantly connected with my friends, I always can reach them if I am in need. Without Internet studying is impossible, of course I have to check the information as you said, but it is way more easier than searching something in the books.

  5. I can’t imagine my life without the Internet for month or week. I feel really bad when I don’t check Facebook, instagram or snapchat. In 21century internet is one of the most important things. When we are looking a hotel for vacation we check a Wifi. People can’t live without internet. When I don’t know something I check it in internet. So I can’t live without internet for month or even a one day.

  6. I am sure I wouldn’t be able to live without an internet for so long! And it’s not only about facebook, instagram and stuff like that. Nowadays Internet is the most popular way to contact someone. If I suddenly lost the Internet acces, I would be devastated and confused. I wouldn’t be able to do so many things that even thinking about that scares me.
    And that advices are really useful, I will definitely take advantage of them one day.

  7. I think that I could survive without the internet and the virtual world but it would be very hard.
    I use the Internet in everyday situation for examples contact with people. It is not always that you use to sms or call. i always have phone with me and I have everything on the phone.

  8. Marek Dobrzański

    It’s a fact that internet has all the answers but in those answers there are ones that are WRONG. Unfortunately most users don’t notice that. That’s why we have to check everything twice in different sources and correct others when they make mistakes because if we don’t it who will?

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