Leading UK inventor Trevor Baylis opines the young generation who is highly dependent on the internet for ‘everything’ is in danger of becoming ‘brain-dead’.
Baylis, who is also known for inventing the wind-up radio, believes this ‘Google generation’ is losing creativity and skills as they are spending a lot of time in front of screens. The veteran scientist fears the next generation will be unable to make anything with their hands and that the young generation of inventors is being lost.
Baylis remarks: “Children have got to be taught hands-on, and not to become mobile phone or computer dependent. They should use computers as and when, but there are so many people playing with their computers nowadays that spend all their time sitting there with a stomach.”
“They are dependent on Google searches. A lot of kids will become fairly brain-dead if they become so dependent on the internet, because they will not be able to do things the old-fashioned way.”
Accoring to Baylis, the schools could help the children rediscover the vital skills by using practical toys such as Meccano, a model construction system.
He said: “With Meccano you could do your own reproduction of, say, the Sydney Harbour Bridge. If you brought Meccano back into primary or secondary schools then you’d have class one against class two – you’ve got four hours to make the Sydney Harbour Bridge and we’ll see which one is the strongest.”
Source: Daily Mail