The term Google-Knowing stands for the process in which you search for an answer on Google and find it  within seconds, ultimately “knowing” the answer to the question.

Today, we can find pretty much anything we want to know within 10 seconds by doing a simple Google search. By finding the answers to these questions so quickly we do not necessarily understand, or actually “know” the reasoning behind the answer. Finding an answer quickly is great, but understanding the concepts behind that answer is what matters the most.

In his article, Lynch says; “Speed is the most obvious distinguishing characteristic of how we know now. Google-knowing is fast. Yet as my exercise brings home, this speed is so dramatic that it does more than just save time.” (P.23, Lynch). I absolutely loved this quote from the reading. The idea is so simple yet makes you think about questions you never would have asked yourself before. The real question i have is, is it bad that we find our answers so quickly on Google, without truly understanding the answer you have found? Could this be a contributor to our general laziness and lack of attention span?

Lynch goes on to say, “We can essentially no longer operate without it. I Google-know every day, and I’m sure you do too” (P.25, Lynch). One way or another, people use Google to find information because it is efficient. Sure, you could go to the library and spend all day reading articles dating back to the beginning of time, but searching for something on Google to find the general answer is good enough for most people.

Ultimately, i think that google is an incredible tool if used correctly. We are able to locate a plethora of information on the web, but simply finding an answer does not mean that you have actually “learned” anything. Knowledge is power, intelligence is key (DJ Khaled Voice). Stay hungry my friends!

JW