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The impact of technology on reading and reflection L ately I have been plagued by the thought that our society and, in particular, our universities are losing something intangible but very important-slowly and insidiously, our capacity for refl ection is slipping away. My concern began when I read a book about roses, and a chapter described the beautiful, secluded gardens created for repose and reflection in the colleges of Oxford, and it intensified with the recent flush of publications on stress and the disappearance of time in modern life.1 There seems to be a great deal of concern surfacing about the effects that stress, technology, and multitasking are having on our souls and on our collective intellect.You may be surprised to learn that I am relatively young and belong to that generation that is generally assumed to embrace all the gifts and challenges of technology. But the truth is, I have always been suspicious of technology and what is lost when things are made faster and easier. To me at least, it seems no coincidence that people seem more unhappy and confused than ever at a time when technology is supposed to be reducing complexity and making our lives easier.

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