Lee Drutman has a good review in the July 5 LA Times of a book with a really long title. In fact, since I am on the internets so often doing the google and other stuff, this title is actually longer than my attention span enables me to read.

OK, I'll paste it in here for those of you who don't spend so much time frying your brain by visiting all those non-textual social networking sites and posting the latest picture of yourself setting off illegal fireworks in whatever state it is where you live. Here goes (brace yourselves): The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future, or Don't Trust Anyone Under 30.

I think I got it all. Since I'm so stupefied, maybe I didn't get the entire thing. My attention could have waned halfway through. I guess I should also include the author's name. It is: Mark Bauerlein. Since digital stuff is way bad, I'm conflicted about whether to provide you with a link to his webpage. But, hey, let me be radical and do that (back in the previous sentence--kinda tricky, huh?). Be sure that you wear your special protective non-dumbness glasses before you go there, because I'd hate for anyone's intellect or future to be jeopardized. (I am there for you, Kairosnews colleagues!)

Seriously, Bauerlein has something in his argument about students' lack of understanding of history and context; certainly, that underlies poor writing more than a failure to master grammar or semicolons. But to blame their failure to contextualize on Facebook is fatuous. The more we study Web 2.0, the more we see that social networking, social bookmarking, mashups, and other tools serve to enhance, not diminish, learning and writing.

Admittedly, I haven't read Bauerlein's book yet, but I'm going to hazard a bet that if you're looking for something in this realm, you're going to be repaid far more by picking up Clay Shirky's fab, fantabulous Here Comes Everbody--a smart, forward-thinking, supremely well informed take on what Web 2.0 bodes for our future--and our students'.