Mind Extension through Technology
A little while ago, I learned about different ways a person can extend their mind. The world is complex and fast-paced, while our brains are trapped in a dark space in our heads, so our brains use different resources to make sense and make progress. Since learning about these techniques, I have noticed and analyzed how I use them. I would love for you to join the fun, so I’ll spend a little time with each of you.
If you have been tracking with the first three ways to extend your mind, then the fourth way might be readily apparent:
Through other people
Through Spaces
Through the Body
Through Technology
Most people carry supercomputers in their pockets, tapping into the vast knowledge and tools people have been gathering for centuries. If your mind does not know the answer, trivial to profound, there is a search engine that will scour the internet to find answers. Of all the technology tools I use, the one I depend on the most is a digital calendar that will remind me of appointments and give me the locations. Many even contain links so I can connect with people right from the calendar through a video conferencing platform. If I need to remember something, I will put it in my calendar to create an event and reminder of what is happening. Even when I had a job that was mostly scheduled for me with a daily routine, reminders to connect with someone or pay a bill would emerge from my digital calendar to move me to action.
Other than my calendar, I have found a lot of good information in videos that ordinary people post. It may be routine for them to do, but I do not have to change oxygen sensors in my vehicles every day. When I do, the homemade video tutorial is beneficial. In another situation, we were told about “carbon fiber straps” that would repair a crack in our foundation wall. Despite looking like a combination of duct tape and super glue, we were told they were very strong. It was hard to believe. Many websites and videos had statistics or descriptions that were somewhat convincing, but I wanted someone to show the strength of the carbon fiber straps. Finally, we found someone who had a piece of concrete cut out of a wall for a window, and the concrete had a carbon fiber repair strap holding it together while being cracked all the way through the 8-inch wall section. The concrete remained intact when they picked up the chunk by one corner with a grappling tool on an excavator. I could have tested this all myself, but the technology was a very efficient and helpful extension of my mind.
Our minds are extraordinary, yet they are limited. It’s helpful to have ways to extend your mind, but it is even a significant step to realize that you are already extending your mind in many ways; if you can use these mind extensions on purpose, you are a step ahead of most people. If you want to learn more about extending your mind in different ways, including technology, please Contact Us.
