The Internet: Helpful or Harmful
The internet has introduced us to a whole new world. A virtual world that it is. The internet is a new type of technology that has brought new opportunities along with it however these opportunities can be seen as both helpful and harmful. This technology has introduced new lines of communication, new ways to make money, and new forms of technology in many different industries. However, the internet has created a generation gap, new forms of addiction, and it is changing the way people live their lives.
The internet has brought us may new ways to communicate with one another. For example, the internet has brought up wireless connection for our cell phones to work on the go. Now, our cell phones are even called smartphones because this little device in our pockets possess the power of accessing the internet at any time. The internet was the start of forms of communication like emailing and texting. two ways that have now become so simple that almost every human use these lines of communication multiple times a day.
The internet has always formed new ways to make money and has been a game changer for any business. From new way of advertising to the new ways of communicating, the internet has boosted the world of business. Today, is the is a business that isn’t using the internet in their favor they are already losing. From the communication side of business, there are a million different ways for a business to get its word across to its consumers. The internet has helped businesses tremendously in the marketing world. They are able to follow up with customers through email and even out ads on web pages on the internet itself.
With new technology also brings new products into the world. A prime example as shown in the movie “Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World” by Werner Herzog the internets a large role in the new industry of self-driving cars. Herzog interviewed a man working for Cadillac who was showing the technology inside the car. More specific the technology in the trunk of the car where there were about four hidden computers that pickup data off of the internet from one car talking to another. The car is able to detect traffic jams and car accidents ahead before they even get to them on the road. What fascinated me about this technology was that they showed more about how the car can truly drive itself without getting itself in to an accident with another car. The technology and sensors around the car put itself in its own virtual world where it can read its surroundings (Herzog, 2016). It is amazing to me that I will be living in an era where most cars will be self-driven.
Thought the internet has driven this world into a new era, it is also slowly deteriorating the human race. This new technology has created a gap between generations. The use of cell phones, computers, tablets, etc. are being taught by the younger generations to the older. Currently, I am still teaching my mom on all the uses she has on her smartphone. The younger generations picked up on how to use technology almost naturally which came as a surprise to our older generations. It blows my mind today that kids are tough thou to use technology at such a young age. Toddlers are seen occupying their time by playing video games on tablets while on car ride or waiting for their table to be ready for a family dinner and it all comes natural to them now. No wonder why the older generation always complains we are on our phones too much.
The internet has established new forms of addiction in this world. The best example of being addicted to a screen is video game players. According Herzog, there is a large population of teens in South Korea that play video games for 16 hours a day. These teens are so addicted that they will wear diapers while playing games, so they don’t have to move to go the bathroom. There have been kids that are dying because of lack of sleep and lack of food. There was even a case brought up that there was someone who had to amputate a piece of their leg because there was a blood clot created from lack of movement because this individual was sitting in front of their screen for too long. There was also another story told that there was a couple that were sent to jail because they were both so addicted to playing a game that they starved their newborn to death. How can the world be coming to this? How can one be so addicted that they even forget to feed their own child? It does frighten me that something that is supposed to be so great for this world is bringing death and establishing addictions inside of everyone whether they know it or not.
Another form of internet addiction is multi-faced platform called social media. Social media is where people will post anything they want online for their friend and family to see. Seems harmless right? Wrong. Social media is a platform where people crave attention and base their lives off of how many followers they have and how many likes their last post got. Not only that but social media has been a distraction for many lives. Wherever you go you will see someone trying to take a photo or a video of where they are to share to the world. Personally, I love going to concerts to see the artists I enjoy. Concerts used to be filled with lighters in the sky and now it’s filled with flashlight if peoples cell phones while they are recording it instead of living in the moment and taking it all in.
The internet may be seen as the introduction into the world of technology. However, no one really asked themselves if that’s a good thing. According to Jean Twenge’s article “Have Smartphones destroyed a Generation?”, studies show that people who are more connected to the internet actually have more chances of feeling lonely and depressed. A statistic shows that “teens who spend three or more hours a day or more on electronic devices re 35 percent more likely to have a risk factor for suicides” (Twenge, 2017). That’s a big jump in the numbers and if you think about that is now the majority of people in this world. The internet has taken over our lives. Whether we realize it not.