«Digital dementia»: why gadgets have ruined our memory and how to fix it

“Robots work hard, not humans.” It’s too early to talk about all life activity, but gadgets have definitely freed us from the work of memory. Is it good for people? Jim Quick, author of the bestselling book Limitless, talks about what “digital dementia” is and how to deal with it.

When was the last time you remembered someone’s phone number? I may sound old-fashioned, but I belong to a generation that, when it came time to call a friend down the street, had to remember his number. Do you still remember the phone numbers of your best childhood friends?

You no longer need to remember them, because your smartphone will do just fine. It’s not that someone really wants to constantly keep two hundred (or even more) phone numbers in their heads, but it must be admitted that we all have completely lost the ability to remember new contacts, the contents of a recent conversation, the name of a potential client, or some important business, which we need to do.

What is «digital dementia»

Neuroscientist Manfred Spitzer uses the term «digital dementia» to describe how the overuse of digital technologies leads to impaired cognitive abilities in humans. In his opinion, if we continue to abuse technology, then short-term memory, due to insufficient use, will steadily deteriorate.

This can be explained by the example of GPS navigation. As soon as you go to some new city, you will notice very quickly that you completely rely on GPS in choosing a route. And then note the time it took you to remember new routes — it will probably take more than when you were younger, but not at all because your brain has become less efficient.

With tools like GPS, we just don’t let it work. We rely on technology to remember everything for us.

However, this addiction can negatively affect our long-term memory. Maria Wimber of the University of Birmingham, in an interview with the BBC, said that the tendency to constantly search for fresh information prevents the accumulation of long-term memories.

By forcing yourself to recall information more often, you contribute to the creation and strengthening of permanent memory.

In a study that looked at specific aspects of the memory of XNUMX adults in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, Wimber and her team found that more than a third of the study participants first turned to their computer for information.

The United Kingdom in this case came out on top — more than half of the participants immediately went online, instead of coming up with an answer themselves.

Why is it so important? Because information so easily obtained is also easily forgotten. “Our brain strengthens memory mechanisms whenever we remember something, and at the same time forgets irrelevant memories that distract us,” Dr. Wimber explained.

By forcing yourself to recall information more often, rather than relying on an outside source to easily provide it, you help build and strengthen permanent memory.

When you notice that most of us have gotten into the habit of constantly looking for information—perhaps the same one—instead of trying to remember it, you may feel that we are hurting ourselves in this way.

Pros and cons of using technology

Is it really that bad to always rely on technology? Many researchers do not agree with this. Their reasoning is that by outsourcing some less important tasks (like remembering phone numbers, doing basic math, or remembering how to get to a restaurant you’ve previously visited), we’re saving brain space for something more important.

However, there are studies that say that our brain is more like a living muscle than a hard drive for storing data. The more you use it, the stronger it becomes and the more data it can store. The question is, are we making this choice consciously, or are we acting out of an unconscious habit?

Either we use our intellectual “muscle” or gradually lose it

Too often, we outsource our brain work to various smart devices, and they, in turn, make us … well, let’s say, a little dumber. Our brain is the most sophisticated adaptive machine, the possibilities for evolution seem endless. But we often forget to train it properly.

When we get lazy using the elevator instead of walking up the stairs, we pay the price of being in poor physical shape. In the same way, we have to pay for the reluctance to develop our intellectual «muscle». Either we use it, or we gradually lose it — there is no third way.

Take time to exercise your memory. For example, try to remember the phone number of some person with whom you often communicate. By starting small, you can get your brain back in shape. Believe me, you will feel how positively it will affect your daily life.


The article is based on materials from Jim Kwik’s book “Boundless. Pump up your brain, memorize faster ”(AST, 2021)

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