Pancake People & the death of "Deep Reading"

Interesting essay in The Sydney Morning Herald's 'Spectrum' by Malcolm Knox on Saturday. The article, entitled "Driven By Distraction" was lamenting the loss of the art form know as 'deep reading'. His basic argument is that our immersion in a hyperactive online world is killing our ability to dive deeply into the imaginative world of written ideas. In Knox's opinion, this is re-wiring our brains and making us 'Pancake People' - scattered broadly, but not deep.

In a witty tip of the hat to the very culture he was critiquing, the essay contained a short summary for skim readers, and a one liner for those in a hurry:-

"A version for 'skim' readers ...

- The more we use the web, the more we train our brain to be distracted.

- One expert predicts a generational change from linear reading to non-linear skimming, as our brains adapt to the internet's opening of floodgates of information.

- Studies have found office workers stop work to check their email 30 to 40 times an hour.

- Frequent interruptions scatter our thoughts, weaken our memory and make us tense and anxious.

- People who share a preference for the magical, transformative immersion of reading and writing over flitting about on their computers are lucky and wise.

And in one sentence ...

- We have access to more information than we have ever had, but little knowledge or wisdom as a result because the internet is changing how we think, read and act."

I have heard people argue that this is just the way our times are going and that this is just a change in the way we communicate with no real reason for alarm. But is not the loss of deep thought, imagination and critical thinking something to be alarmed about?