A famous adage of Bill Gates goes like this – “The Internet is becoming the town square of the global village of tomorrow.” This quote has been proved right by the current developments in Technology. The use of Internet has heralded a significant revolution in the global world. It has indeed shrunk the globe and brought people together. From a 3-year-old child to a golden ager, everyone knows how to use the Internet. It is not surprising that such a useful forum has brought a drastic change in our lives. The Internet has reduced distances, broken all man-made barriers and has facilitated a lot of activities, like online shopping, to move with ease albeit at a low cost. However, several questions arise when talking about Internet – “Is the use of Internet always beneficial?”, “Are humans becoming slaves of Internet?”. These questions ponder our mind every now and then. In this essay, I would like to elucidate my reflections into words and give a laconic view of the issue.
Internet is the talk of the world. Some people believe that the use of Internet has changed our lives significantly in a deplorable way and say it has many deleterious effects. It has not only made us victims to many cyber-crimes but also has reduced social human interactions. A person in the vicinity, in the same building or in the same room use mobile phones and gadgets to interact with one another. After drugs and alcohol, Internet is the third most addictive thing. Internet has ruined children’s lives particularly as they have become compulsive of social networking gaming sites, or even gambling websites. The impending future of our country is dependent on these juveniles.
A menacing disorder caused by Internet which is known as the Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) ruins lives by causing neurological complications, psychological disturbances, and social problems. Surveys in the United States and Europe have indicated alarming prevalence rates between 1.5 and 8.2%. In addition, with the emergence of more and more social media platforms and sites, people have shifted to more electronic interaction and this has resulted in a loss of human touch. This is also a leading cause of depression and a major negative impact on our lives. While some people claim that Internet has innumerable detrimental effects, others feel that Internet is still a bonanza and has shaped our lives in an effective way.
Internet has served as a utilitarian network which has connected people from all over the world. Although Internet is often maligned in our global world, it is truly an effective resource which has indeed played a pivotal role in our lives. A father from US can connect with his son who is living in India only with the help of this asset. School learning and telecommuting has gained a new shape only because of Internet. It has not only helped millions of students across the globe in their learning with the help of useful portals like Youtube, Google, various productive apps, etc, but also has facilitated “work from home” options in adverse situations like the case of Covid – 19 pandemic. Online shopping needs no words to be described. Groceries, vegetables, fruits, garments, etc everything arrive at our doorstep just with one click. However, the addiction of Internet is still a grave issue even amidst these merits.
What if the Internet used today is wiped out tomorrow? Thus, we must realize that too much reliance on Internet is a serious issue. With every advancement in Internet, come its uses and misuses. It is our responsibility to strike a balance and use it with caution. One must not forget that human is the master of technology, and not its slave.
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