We’re living in a time of increasing information and greater longevity. People can access all sorts of data on a device not much bigger than a sea shell while living well into their 90s.
With greater longevity comes a greater chance of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. We’re told that one way to ward off these maladies is to keep one’s mind active.
Surely this includes trying to remember things. But for octogenarians trying to resist dementia, always consulting their smart phones may become counter-productive.
Suppose you’re trying to remember the name of the character actor who played Fred Mertz in the old sit-com “I Love Lucy.” You should ideally try to remember that on your own — a good brain exercise — but you’ll be tempted to look it up on your phone. You’ll discover that it was William Frawley, which is great, but you won’t have remembered it on your own.
This could become a problem for all generations. Once upon a time, young people were told to memorize stuff — as in the Bible or Shakespeare — so that they could draw on it in times of trouble.
When you’re scared, it’s nice to have the 23rd Psalm in your head already. When the danger comes, it may be inconvenient to try to access it on your phone. Besides, it will belong to the phone, and not to you.
Now: who was the character actor who played Ethel on “I Love Lucy?” Excuse me. I have to look that up.
I’m Tom McBride, and that’s my perspective.