HAVE WE LEFT THE CAVE ONLY TO ENTER GOOGLE?

Big debate going on here in 2010. It's called TMI...!

Well, sure, there are lots of debates going on -- from every national capitol to every corporate headquarters to every kitchen table in the world -- but this one is among the more foundational. Has to do with who you and I are becoming as homo sapiens. Meaning what you and I and our children may look and think like over the next 10 to 20 years.

TMI stands for a new battle-cry: Too Much Information....! The techies who coined the phrase are opposed by the techies who reject the argument. Started when a techie, Nicholas Carr, wrote a major article in "The Atlantic" titled 'Google is Making Us Stupid.' He argued, with sheaths of data, that being plugged into the Internet via its many entry points like Google, Twitter, email, smartphone, ipad, etc. is starting to re-wire our brain circuits.

Carr, while granting the enormous informational value of the Internet, argues that our brains are so inundated with information (usually conflicting) that we can "no longer focus, and so we graze." Like a tourist in New York City who wanders the streets agog with the enormity of visual and audio distractions, aware of everything and understanding nothing.

Until, that is, he or she reaches Central Park. At last pauses, sits, begins to focus on this one remarkable venue. Something perhaps like primitive man did when he developed the alphabet and eventually the book. A time and place and product with which to focus, to concentrate, to reflect.

Homo sapiens' historical trajectory has been: From an existence of 360-degree physical distractions... to an age of focus and intellectual growth.... back again to today's existence of 24/7 digital distractions. Kinda sounds like Mom and Dad and Teacher begging Jane and Johnny to "pay attention," "focus," "do your homework."

Oh,excuse me. I can't stay with this right now. I'm getting another tweet...!