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What Do You Do With Them? What Do You Do Without Them?

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by satchitananda, May 28, 2017.

  1. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    "The internet is a curse. It has helped to isolate people socially." How often have we heard this said? Do you agree? I don't - at least not totally. I have enough reason to think the internet is a blessing. At least it has been for me. As I have said many times here, I got friends here and now they are friends in real life. Before that I did not have friends here. Just acquaintances and family - my own and ILs.

    Having said that, I am no fanatic. I like to look at both sides of the coin. On one hand, we have so much freedom to express our opinions, see what is going on in the world, however far away or however insignificant. The internet has proved a blessing for young people when it comes to finding information. I remember having had to run from one library to the other and the information one could get was hardly comparable to what is available today.

    On the other hand, there is one trend that troubles me immensely. It is the notion that people have that if they are anonymous, they can say anything and get away with it. Rudeness has increased in leaps and bounds. I love watching news, documentaries, videos, films on Youtube. However, the titles of some of the videos is downright disturbing. Here are some just as a small sample:

    "Tarek Fateh slaps idiot Barkha". Watch the video. It has nothing to do with any slap. It might be a basic disagreement of difference of opinion or a strong point made. It is not even a fight. But 'fans' these days like to imagine every point scored is a 'slap' on the face of the other side ..... and this is only one example.
    Initially I tried reading comments. The less said about them, the better. Most of them have to do with the southern parts of the anatomy, activities thereof especially with females related by blood, never mind which generation these females belong to. The kind of comments hurled by Indians and Pakistanis at each other are not worth reading. I stopped looking at comments anymore. They are enough to make a sailor blush. Why this surge in abusiveness? Have people forgotten to disagree respectfully or did they never learn the art?

    Let's move from the internet to the media. I am all for the complete freedom of the press and firmly believe that journalists are obliged to convey the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth to the audience. Having heard news broadcasts from the likes of Pamela Singh, Lotika Ratnam, Melville Demellow, it is painful to hear news being delivered in a very casual manner in language which leaves a lot to be desired. What is more painful is the over-dramatisation and slugfests which pass off for news telecasts, not to mention the lopsided reporting. No prizes for guessing which party any particular channel supports. What happened to objective reporting? It is so sad that people are no longer entitled to their own opinions without running the risk of being branded as anti-nationals or bhakts.

    Why don't I stop watching videos or news telecasts if they bother me so much? I am not a believer in the principle of either/or. I watch what I want to and try to make the best of what is available. Whenever the desire takes over to get some accurate news about the goings on in this country, I watch different channels; as they say 'the truth lies somewhere in the middle'. It's the classic case of 'what do you with them, what do you do without them'? Having said that, I am hopping off to some other tab to watch or read something else. Shall be back to check out for responses and to reply to them. :grinning:
     
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  2. kkrish

    kkrish IL Hall of Fame

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    Hey Sats @satchitananda
    Is is mere coincidence that you post about internet just minutes after I lamented on my time spent at the computer and not walking?

    Just as food, exercise, or any other, "moderation is key" in using the internet also.

    There are so many benefits - the world has become smaller. We are able to connect to our family immediately and share important moments within a short and even in real time.

    I remember waiting for the mailman, and for that aerogram from my parents when we first came to the US. In a street devoid of humans the mailman used to be the only highlight of the day. It would take 15 days for the mail to go one way. That meant written communication only once a month.

    International phone calls were so expensive that by the time we finished the "hello, hello, how are you" the bill would be steep. Also the connections would be so poor we had to yell at the top of our voice, it would seem we did not need a phone to carry the sound all the way to India!!

    We are much better informed of what happens in the world. We can read books, watch movies, and even dig out long forgotten favorites.

    For people like me, online shopping is boon.
    We are able to pay bills, set up appointments, oh, and so much more.

    On the flip side of course there is this question on the authenticity of the information out there. Not all are true. Anyone can write anything, yes, due to anonymity. We need to be careful and know what to filter out and what to keep.

    Every birthday when the Google Doodle is a "Happy Birthday" wish to just me, I am a little scared. How much of my personal information is tracked is amazing and scary. Even here in IL, I get ads for Fitbit, or Airfryer, just because those were the two websites I just checked before posting here. Is nothing private anymore.

    We also have the cheaters who lure folks and have heard of many sad stories of folks committing suicide because they were bullied, made fun of, and for body-shaming.
    Although we think we should not take things to heart because the negative comments come from an unknown virtual person, it does affect us. Only we know what struggles we undergo; and here is a person who knows nothing about you and posts a judgmental comment, it hurts.

    So how we use the internet is very important. It is only a tool which can help us or ruin us.
     
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  3. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    Kamala, this one had nothing to do with your statement about spending time on Internet. Actually I have been wanting to write this for a while now. The trigger is the rudeness and vulgarity of comments I see in response to some posts on the internet.

    We just have to get used to the idea - there is no privacy anymore. As for the ads, if it bothers you, just install adblock. Have done that.

    Sums it all up in a nutshell. :)
     
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  4. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Information (both facts and opinions) available at one's finger-tips, instantly - this alone makes up for any negatives.

    Titles are misleading. And comments under videos or articles are the bottom of the barrel : ) But it is easier to train the eye to not read or skim over such rudeness from strangers. As opposed to the same received from people in real life. I can recall some very hurtful observations and comments from the so-called "elders" that ring crystal clear in the ears even years later.

    One word - loud. A big percentage or news-reporting is "loud". And vexing to watch. That's one reason I prefer to read, and often the first thing I do after clicking on a news item is to pause the video.

    With all its vices, the internet is one of the greatest phenomenons of our times. For making information available, for leveling the playing field, for making it harder for people to profess "knowledge" "wisdom", and for making it easier to verify.
     
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  5. Agatha83

    Agatha83 IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear satchi,

    I cannot imagine a life without Internet, because right from the tutorials on English grammar, baking, makeup, movies, music, cleaning tips to saree draping, child rearing, dressing, you name it, it is there on the you tube, valuable lessons which no teacher would have been able to provide. But like a sharp knife, internet has to be handled with absolute care, because whatever you post here, good or bad, is digital and cannot be erased how much ever you try. So one has to be careful while sharing personal information, particularly the younger generation on social networking sites.

    Agatha83
     
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  6. joylokhi

    joylokhi Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear satchi,
    we have reached a situation where it would be next to impossible to manage day to day affairs without the internet. All the negatives listed earlier are very much there . Even so, handled properly and maturely with proper knowledge as to the risks involved, it is truly a blessing. I am only worried when it comes to its usage by children at vulnerable ages, who due to peer pressure, curiosity etc may land themselves into trouble on a mental, emotional level also, apart from the amount of time that could get wasted thereby. Here, the role of parents these days becomes all the more crucial in ensuring proper child monitoring etc.
     
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  7. PushpavalliSrinivasan

    PushpavalliSrinivasan IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Satchi,
    Internet is a boon. Any technological development is like a double edged sword. It depends on the user how he uses it.
    If people become couch potatoes it is their fault only.
    PS
     
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  8. iamkritika

    iamkritika New IL'ite

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    Totally agree with Pushpavalli's comments. While the internet has helped make the world a smaller place, I definitely miss the days without mobile and internet.

    For today's generation, the first thing that they look for in the morning is the phone. A day without internet or phone is unthinkable. Social bonds today have actually moved to Whatsapp. You don't find people visiting family and friends. We have become more isolated than ever before.
     
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  9. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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  10. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    Not a truer word said, Agatha. However, the flip side is that there is no longer anything called privacy. All the information one is forced to share when filling out forms are no longer safe. It is quite scary.
     

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