For God's foolishness is wiser than humans wisdom . . . (1 Corinthians 1:25, NRSV)
Recent publications (Mark Bauerlein, The Dumbest Generation; How The Digital Age Stupefies Younger Americans And Jeopardizes Our Future; Marc Parry, Is Techonology Making Your Students Stupid? - in http://chronicle.com/article/Is-Technology-Making-Your/66128/ and Nicholas Carr, The Shallows), ask the question that in light of today's technological advancements, how much smarter are we?
While it is true that many of us are more IT (information techonology) savvy and literate, basic critical thinking and problem solving skills are waining. I just recently purchased a smart phone, supposedly much smarter than my last one. Unlike my first couple of phones which only allowed me to make phone calls and play an occasional game or two, my new phone allows me to surf the web, check my email and download applications, not to include electronic books and blockbuster movies. My smart phone even has applications that I need from time to time - like a calculator and the ability to check the time and weather. I also not too long ago purchased a voice recognition program for my computer which allows me to speak through a headset wherein the computer takes dictation of my every spoken word - this is smart! Much of this techonology is known and also used by my college graduate students. Many of them take class notes on their portable laptops and are even able to access information of my lecture topic during class. One student even Googled me while in class and proceeded to tell me about my latest research projects. On another occasion, a student proceeded to read his oral presentation from notes off his phone. With all of this sophisticated technology, I am left wondering how have these advancements crippled us?
In my classroom I am seeing more and more plagarism. Thoughts and ideas are borrowed, stolen and passed off as original. Students are no longer able to critically think through or engage issues, or write, or convey clear thoughts.
Much of our technology cripples us in that much of the hard work needed in order to compete in life is lost; it is not learned or practiced. Have we outsmarted ourselves? God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom.
How will the next generations of professionals and educators compete in a global market where critical thinking and writing skills are lacking? What type of society are we creating for our children where they live sedatary lives able only to compete at the highest level of video gamming competition on-line? Proverbs 9:10 states that the fear of the Lord is beginning of wisdom. This is the wisdom, perhaps, that will enable many to overcome this imbalance, challenging us to gain both critical thinking and IT skills along the way.
[Dr. Jamal-Dominique Hopkins is Scholar-in-Residence at St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Atlanta, GA and is a Professor at the Interdenominational Theological Center also in Atlanta. He is the author of "Ecclesiastes" in the African Bible: Reading Israel's Scriptures through Africa and the African Diaspora (Fortress Press), 2009, and "Duty or Responsibility? The African American Evangelical's Identity" in the Journal of African American Christian Thought 1 (2009). Hopkins is available for preaching, lecturing, speaking or conducting workshops or seminars. You may contact him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .]
