Can you think of a world without the internet, smartphones, iPads, or perhaps the laptop that you’re currently working on? What if we had been hit by this pandemic somewhere during the 90s when meetings over the cloud and Twitter live updates weren’t there to come to our rescue?
Sounds beyond imagination?
Well, that’s exactly where tech has made us land!
The world is now at our fingertips! From mopping up our favorite bruschetta to solving compound calculations, all we have to do is perhaps get online!
We are privileged indeed, but is our ability to ponder over a question, comprehend word meanings, or the frivolous task of replying to an email without ‘looking up the appropriate answer’ being swept away by this technological tsunami? Oh yes!
As people around the world start to rely on ‘digital’ solutions to day to day problems, their ability to think seems to be taking a backseat.
Can’t solve an interest calculation sum? “Ok, Google!”
What happens when you mix Magnesium Chloride with Potassium Sulphate? “Hey, Siri!”
“I’m so over this! How to revive the pizza that I ended up burning, Alexa?”
Literally?
Increasing dependency on tech makes us presume there isn’t precisely anything which the internet does not have an answer to. But, there are! You can’t learn how to listen, think or even smile using the net!
But, hasn’t tech benefited us too?
The news of protests breaking out in the USA over the atrocious homicide of a citizen of color just takes seconds to reach a reader in Singapore. Attending an art exhibition in Paris from the comfort of your home in Bangkok is not an issue anymore, all kudos to webinars and live streams! Fake news too takes moments to be passed on as true to millions! And what better than mindless WhatsApp forwards to do the job? In this age of instant communications, we don’t even have the time to sit up (think most importantly) and read an article before sharing. Despite being technologically sound, we are not making appropriate use of it, and it’s only us who are at fault.
Wonder who’s got the most of digitalization? Students! It has helped them learn many new things with just one tap. Be it books, data analysis, or about the Digi-boom itself, the internet has made it a lot easier. But, exposure to the harsh realities of the virtual world like bullying and other forms of cyber-harassment, has, in turn, lead to severe psychological trauma for many. Various media reports published in the past have pointed out teens resorting to self-harm as a part of a “task” on a particular online game. This indeed points out that proper mentorship and guidance are needed even while making sure kids get to be enlightened from the web.
Technology has its perks but reckless usage can have devastating effects – both for the planet and our mental health. It’s important to detach, free our mind and go for a tech-detox once a while, leaving aside the FOMO! The internet can show us the way, but considering it to be the only solution to everything? Not accepted!
