Every time we turn on our computers and open our Internet browsers, we unlock the world. A wealth of information right at our fingertips. With so much content floating around out there, it would take lifetimes to access it all. Yet we waste time on cat videos and online shopping and more. Where did we go wrong?
The internet. A technological advance that has ultimately shaped our culture and defined the 21st century. Since the invention of the World Wide Web in 1990, the internet has expanded exponentially, inhabiting nearly every aspect of daily life. In hindsight, it's difficult to imagine a world without this "networking infrastructure" because we've become so reliant on it. And while it does have its benefits, perhaps they don't quite outweigh the negative consequences the internet brings to the table.
The internet has made us lazy. As the "information superhighway," the internet is one of a student's greatest academic tools. But should it be the only one? Studies suggest that at least 1 out of 3 students has cheated on an assignment by finding answers online. We're not really learning then, are we? We rely on Google for everything rather than learn or use our minds, all thanks to the convenience of the internet. I have a dictionary on my bookshelf that just sits there gathering dust, and I can't for the life of me recall the last time I physically leafed through its pages for a unknown word instead of typing "arduous definition" into the search bar.
Is this the legacy we want to leave the next generation, teaching them that it's okay to skate through life knowing a computer will have all the answers? And the risks don't end there. A 2011 report from the Center for Disease Control found that approximately 17 percent of children and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 19 are obese. As kids and teenagers become more and more enamored with technology and the internet, streaming videos and online gaming are taking precedent over physical activity. The advancements in technology over the last century have always been invented with the idea saving people time and effort, and the internet is no exception. But at what point do we draw the line between conveniences that improve lives and those that live our lives for us?
Ever since it's more humble beginnings, the internet was engineered with connectivity communication and connectivity in mind. As it's evolved, so has the way we've communicated online. Gone are the days of Hotmail and AOL, social media sites are the new ways ways to stay in touch and share your life with the world. With nearly 1.23 billion monthly active users worldwide, Facebook is the leading social media platform across demographics.
Just like the internet, social media has done nothing if not infiltrate nearly every part of our lives. As our self-worth becomes reliant on the number of "likes" on our Instagram post and it is increasingly difficult to identify our true friends versus the hundreds we have on Facebook, we start to wonder where the "social" part of social media has gone. When was the last time we had an actual face-to-face conversation and listened to someone else for a change, rather than constantly saying "me, me, me"? Faced with this over-sharing epidemic, our voices get lost in a sea of people shouting to be heard, to be seen and appreciated. The constant need for attention is infectious, spawning the dangerous "do-it-for-the-Vine" mentality, because what's the point of doing anything if no on will see it online. And spawned from this great monster of our own creation is hatred: cyber bullying, as if we needed another way to hurt each other. While social media may have begun with good intentions, it has ultimately become corrupt within our society that seems incapable of logging off and connecting in person.
Perhaps this all is harmless enough, that the internet is nothing compared to the strength of humanity, but the truly terrifying part is its inescapable necessity in our daily lives. Everything is online these days. And while it's all in the interest of convenience and ease of use, there's always the question of reliability. Where would we be if the internet suddenly crashed...forever? I don't pretend to be an expert on these things, so I have no idea if that's even possible, but it stands to reason that, in a technologically-dependent society such as our own, we can't afford to move backwards.
