We use paper documents to store knowledge so we can consult and reconsult it, giving us a type of recall impossible with our unaided minds; we use pencils to scratch down material so we can manipulate it in a fashion impossible in our unaided minds. Clive Thompson consultdocumentfashion share on social
There's nothing wrong with talking out loud in public, but there is something wrong with the government sucking up all those utter instances in a database just in case they maybe want to bust you in five years. Clive Thompson bustcasedatabase share on social
Novelists in particular love to rhapsodize about the glory of the solitary mind; this is natural, because their job requires them to sit in a room by themselves for years on end. But for most of the rest of us, we think and remember socially. Clive Thompson endgloryjob share on social
More than any other modern tool, computers are a total mystery to their users. Most people never open them up to fix them or to see how they work. Clive Thompson computerfixmodern Change image and share on social
Software is now so complex - requiring so many gazillions of tiny files all over your computer - that most consumers don't want to bother to know what's really going on. Clive Thompson bothercomplexcomputer Change image and share on social
Why are online games so addictive? It's mostly the narcotic appeal of 'leveling.' Clive Thompson addictiveappealgame Change image and share on social
A textbook requires a consistent sense of style and a linear structure, hallmarks of a single authorial presence. An encyclopedia doesn't. Clive Thompson authorialconsistentencyclopedia Change image and share on social
The things kids can do on screens can be really delightful - if they are age appropriate. But no, they shouldn't spend all their time on a screen; they should split up their time doing multiple, different things. Clive Thompson agedelightfulkid share on social
When you're an expert in a subject, you can retain new factoids on your favorite topic easily. This only works for the subjects you're truly passionate about, though. Baseball fans can reel off stats for their favorite players, then space out on their own birthday. Clive Thompson baseballbirthdayeasily share on social
Transactive memory works best when you have a sense of how your partners' minds work - where they're strong, where they're weak, where their biases lie. I can judge that for people close to me. But it's harder with digital tools, particularly search engines. Clive Thompson biaseclosedigital share on social
