The Shape of the Technologies We Use

Our mind and consciousness are embodied, but our way of thinking and organizing information takes the shape of the technologies we use.

This is a widely accepted principle in cognitive psychology. McLuhan even argued, quite convincingly, that social organization itself follows from technology.

In any case, we should pay attention to the technologies we choose to use. The tools we rely on affect the very level of thought we’re capable of expressing.

In my view, the two technologies that still have the strongest positive impact on the quality of our thinking are deliberate writing and deliberate reading.