The Department of Psychology, at New York University recently released a study on all the negative aspects of the Internet. The cyber dangers, children’s overexposure, and the ease in which people are able to access information they haven’t worked for.
These same people seem to be forgetting the reasons the Internet was invented in the first place. We have the power to connect with people on the other side of the world. We can spread ideas, share cultures, and inform ourselves more than ever before. The world’s capabilities have been handed to us on a silver platter. These possibilities are all at our fingertips, literally a click away. But now that we have access to these amazing opportunities, many seem to be drawing back in fear, reluctant to change and adapt to the new technologies that now our fill our homes.
The Internet is woven into our lives, and we have grown to be dependant on it. Dependency on the Internet is not a bad thing. We are as dependent on the Internet in the same ways we are dependent on electricity, money, and education. Dependency is not threatening, it’s stabilizing, and the more accessible things we can depend on, the more stable our world will become.
As we converge into a web and media based world, some old comforts may become scarce, such as newspapers. Newspapers are not dead, but are slowly changing into more web-based sources of information. They are transforming to keep up with our fast paced society. Many people are resisting this change. Change alters our lives and forces us to readjust, which can be scary, but is an essential part of growth in our society.
The Internet is often to blame for corrupting youth. Yet, the Internet is not a human being with emotions and schemes. It is a technology that enables us to take advantage of it. It is dependent on us whether we use these advantages in a positive or negative way. ‘Corrupting the youth’, lies completely on us. Some people will exploit the resources offered, but we must trust that the larger majority of people will use the Internet for what it was created for, the betterment of mankind.
The average teenager spends 31 hours a week online, and although this statistic stirs fear in many parents, it’s actually quite comforting. The MacArthur Foundation recently published a study on the effects of the Internet on young adults.
“Their participation is giving them the technological skills and literacy they need to succeed in the contemporary world.” Said Mizuko Ito, the leader of the study. “They’re learning how to get along with others, how to manage a public identity, and how to create a home page.”
Social networking websites have not eliminated human contact with each other. On the contrary, they have merely made it easier to stay in contact with more people. People are buying more and more commodities online, which helps the environment by reducing the amount of pollution created driving, and reduces the use of paper and plastic bags. Information is accessible to people regardless of race or economic standing, thanks to the Internet provided at public libraries and schools. Online, we can educate ourselves on topics we’re passionate about. We can become published writers. We can share our photos and videos with the world. We can submerge ourselves in new cultures, ideas, and lifestyles. We can open our minds, and try to better understand different beliefs and customs. Maybe we are over exposed, because we’re no longer confined to the boundaries our own societies place around us. We have been given the power to enhance our lives for the better. Whether we choose to do so, is up to us.
No comments:
Post a Comment