INFOGLUT: Analyzing Information Overload in the Modern Age

This report analyzes Mark Andrejevic's article, "Infoglut: How too much information is changing the way we think and know," which focuses on the issue of information overload in the post-9/11 era. The report examines how technological advancements have led to an overwhelming amount of data, making it difficult to distinguish facts from opinions and potentially hindering critical thinking. It discusses the brainwashing effect of repeated information and how the internet can both foster and impede critical thought. The analysis highlights the impact of information overload on the postmodern age and the challenges it poses to objectivity, even in science. Furthermore, the report substantiates Andrejevic's arguments with the rise of anti-Islamic propaganda and considers methods for avoiding information overload and developing mechanisms to discern truth from falsehood. The assignment includes a summary of the article, an assessment of its value, and discussion questions for further exploration.

Running head: INFOGLUT
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Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Post the 9/11 tragedy, United States of America had faced a situation which can be
defined as the situation of information overload. In the article,’ Infoglut: How too much
information is changing the way we think and know’ by Andrejevic that particular issue of
information overload had been the focus acquiring a position of centrality. In his article he points
out that the Washington Post had that as per the National Security Agency report on a average
almost 1.7 billion messages used to arrive post the tragedy having taken place. Collection of such
a huge amount of information had been possible because of technological advancement, however
on the flip side it is also true that that has also created problems such as the capacity of
distinguishing the facts from opinion. The most pernicious effect of such a huge amount of
information is felt in the brainwashing effect that renders the mind of the people incapable of
thinking critically as the reiteration of a particular matter can lead to people into believing that it
could possibly the truth and that helps the propagandists to further their agenda amongst the
masses. However on the other hand, the faculty of critical thought process can also be cherished
and encouraged by the internet media as the access to counter arguments can also be found
therein which can enable or at least encourage the people to indulge in critical thinking and help
them to distinguish the truth and the facts from the array of information. The most important
aspect of this information overload can be used to critique the post modern age which is marked
by science. Science is supposed to be value free but in the age of information, even science is
failing to live up to the ideal of objectivity. Thus these are the general arguments that have been
pointed out by Andrejevic in his article (Andrejevic).
The arguments provided by Andrejevic can be substantiated with the rise of anti Islamic
propaganda that had taken over the political and the social scenario of the United States of
America (Poynting and Perry). The culture of very vividly describing the muslim suspects and

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the attachment of some typical characteristic features to muslims and tagging them invariably as
terrorists can be used as an example to prove that the views of Andrejevic is justified. The post
modern age being the age of information had already been voiced by Daniel Bell, and Andrejevic
had used the same justification in his writings (Bell). Thus there is both theoretical as well as
historical justification to substantiate the validity of the arguments provided by Andrejevic.
Two questions that deserve much consideration after having an idea of the arguments
provided by Andrejevic in his article could be, giving due consideration to the question of
avoiding information overload, and the methods of building of effective mechanism to
distinguish the truth from the untruth in order to prevent the people from being misguided by
information and also prevent the misuse of the freedom of expression and access to information.

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References
Andrejevic, Mark. Infoglut: How too much information is changing the way we think and know.
Routledge, 2013.
Poynting, Scott, and Barbara Perry. "Climates of hate: Media and state inspired victimisation of
Muslims in Canada and Australia since 9/11." Current Issues in Criminal Justice 19.2 (2007):
151-171.
Bell, Daniel. "The coming of the post-industrial society." The Educational Forum. Vol. 40. No.
4. Taylor & Francis Group, 1976.