Due to the growing dominance of the Internet as the primary medium for commerce, entertainment and social communications, Americans are using more electronic media than ever. Some worry that the Internet, with its visual stimulation and constant distractions, is altering the way we think -- and not for the better. Some studies indicate that it may alter physical mechanics of the brain that lead to long-term memory formation. And China and South Korea have declared "Internet addiction" a primary public health concern. But every new medium that comes on the scene has elicited similar fears about ill effects on popular taste and capacity for reflection and deep thinking. Still, there's no question that the Internet is having profound effects on our lives -- perhaps as great as any technological change since the advent of the printing press.

Alan Greenblatt has been writing about politics and government in Washington and the states for nearly two decades. As a reporter for Congressional Quarterly, he won the National Press Club’s Sandy Hume award for political journalism. While on staff at Governing magazine, he covered many issues of concern to state and local governments, such as budgets,taxes, and higher education. Along the way, he has written about politics and culture for numerous other outlets, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, and NPR.org.