Summary Response

TURN THE PAGE

by Susie Etter

I am a product of an era of learning where the word "Internet" was unheard of and computers were not mainstays of life. It sounds like I come from the dark ages, but it wasn't that long ago at all. I therefore relate to Ted Gup's, "The End of Serendipity." Gup appears to mourn the transformation from our use of hardcopy books, newspapers, and reference materials to CD-ROMs and online references.

He points out that, with this transformation, our learning experiences shrink and become less diversified. Gup writes of "the virtues of accidental discovery" (250) that happen while thumbing through an encyclopedia. While we are trying to find an answer to the one purposeful question we set out to look for, we discover answers "to questions that have not yet even occurred to us" (250). Gup also writes of the moral implications when we rely too heavily on online newspapers. Gup reasons that, by clicking only on options we are interested in when referencing online newspapers, we "sanitize [our] reality, to bar unpleasantries" (251). Thus, the world as we perceive it becomes a much smaller place. With a click, our focus narrows to the aspects of the world we find most pleasing to us. There is no accidental discovery of information we have yet to learn. Gup believes that the Internet "is entirely too purposeful" (250), providing us with a method to hone in only on the information we deem pertinent. By choosing to bypass the route to accidental discovery in books, for refined Internet searches, our focus narrows, negatively impacting our learning experience.

I agree with Gup's views on the loss of discovery and the impact it has on the learning experience, but I also believe that the Internet has a place in the learning environment. When my kids have questions about events and different cultures in the world, the first place I turn is to the Internet. The Internet is a quick and ready reference device that provides easy access to any information needed. At the same time, I do not use the Internet as the sole source of information. I believe that my children should know how to use reference materials such as encyclopedias and dictionaries in order to supplement their learning experiences. Gup also addresses the issue of online newspapers, noting that it is easy to form a much-sanitized version of reality.

I do not enjoy reading a newspaper online. Although I am a habitual reader of certain aspects of newspapers, I like to turn the pages from front to back to discover what lies inside them. When reading a paper online, I find that I access only that which I need--the movie section, sports scores, or latest stock figures. I agree with Gup's assessment; when we no longer flip through our newspaper, allowing our eyes to accidentally focus where they may, on subjects good or bad, we limit our insights into the world. We should weigh the benefits of the printed and online word, being mindful of what there is to offer in both fora.

The value of having access to both online and printed reference materials is important. Both sources have a place in society. The extent to which we choose to use the virtual or written source becomes the key. Hopefully the value of learning through exploration and discovery of hardbound reference materials will never become lost.

Gup, Ted. "The End of Serendipity." CyberReader. 2nd ed. Ed. Victor J. Vitanza. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 1999. 250-252.

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