Homo Digitas: analytical not intuitive

A recent article on CNET askes if whether we are getting more reliant on the web and as a result are becoming less intelligent. It seems to be saying that as we rely more on computers we are in danger of losing our critical thinking ability and perhaps memory capabiliites.
I found it interesting because getting into computers in 2002, i discoverd the programming language Python which through its OOP capabilites forced and enabled me to think abstractly; then moving on to C a year later that forced me to be analytical and encouraged critical thinking. I guess i'm saying if experts are worried the web is going to make us less intelligent, perhaps programming should be a prerequisite in classes, if only to incourage us to be a little more analytical and heighten our critical thinking ability.
here is part two of the article . What do you all think, are we at risk?

You never would have found python if it wasn't for the internet. Therefore you'd be a little dumber without it (or are you dumb for learning Python? ;))

We shouldn't make programming some sort of compulsory class. Here's why:
http://www.paulstovell.net/Posts/Pos...0-5cf083b783e1

You don't want everyone to have the same twisted minds that we have.

When I see people who cannot even get a simple search working in google, I don't think the web changes anything. It could be a huge potential of cumulated knowledge ( which is not equivalent to intelligence ) but there's only a selected few who can access it.

"How to STFW 101" should be a compulsory class.

I'm pretty convinced I could win any round of Who wants to be a millionaire given the time and internet access. Apart from my colleagues at work, every single person I know thinks this is pure magic and incredible skill. Skill my ass, putting the very phrase into google and selecting the first link that doesn't have "v14gra" in it's title. That's not difficult. I could probably train a monkey to do this. Matter of fact, writing a speech recognition software with web access would probably be even easier.

We aren't getting dumber because of the net. We cannot. The wide majority doesn't even know how to use it properly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stovellp

You never would have found python if it wasn't for the internet. Therefore you'd be a little dumber without it (or are you dumb for learning Python? ;))

---

never i'm very appreciative of python!!!