Virtual World-is It That Bad?

jayasala42 · Aug 2, 2020

Yes, there is excessive use of technology .It leads to decrease
in face to face conversations,reducing people's communicative and creative skills leading to social isolation and other health problems.

In fact it is a rehearsal for living in corona world, where social distancing is the core virtue.
Decades back, when we were children, the old and young would gather in the open space in front of the house or in the Prakarams of temple and had a great time. There would be unbelievable bonhomie. There was no TV, no phone and we all depended on each other for our fun and frolicking time.Luxuries started arriving-radio,transistor, phone, TV, computer and now the cell phone.
Today people talk more with unknown and unseen faces across the globe than with local kith and kin.
What a massive change and transformation!
Some 20 years back I never even imagined that i would be posting messages to IL.
There is a saying: "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak."

Along came computers and the internet, and now: "We have two eyes and ten fingers .- not even ten fingers- one finger will do.
Many advise you to come out, speak to people and develop friendship.Result?

It may result in endless complaints, arguments all of which culminate in a headache. Safer then to escape into the virtual world where one can choose one's friends, discuss stuff with people who don't complain back and ignore the trolls. At least one has one's peace of mind.

Come to think of it, there is very little difference between social life in the 'real' world and the virtual, except for the distance. Good, bad and indifference exist everywhere. Mainly human beings are the same in either 'world'.

Virtual world suits us better as we don't even have to make efforts to get off our couches, bathe or dress! We can hide our true selves and project a likable persona to the world, we can say what we like hiding behind a pseudo-persona! Isn't this freedom?

Today with smaller families and fewer really close friends, one has to get on with the people around or be isolated. Trying to get along with inimical individuals around us could be quite an arduous job leading to spikes in BP. At such times, it is a tremendous relief to have books or the virtual world to turn to.

Unfortunately, everyone seems to be intent on having the last word in arguments/discussions these days. When we meet in person,voices get raised, discussions blow up into heated waves of arguments. If this is online, one can shut off the person or block him. The virtual world seems to be a a great relief from the unpleasantness of real life. As far as hiding our true selves is concerned, it could work both ways. Some of us feel more comfortable being our real selves in the virtual world with strangers unknown rather than with people around with us who try to be
judgemental all the time,or try to find mistakes ever. Or there could be people hiding their true identities in order to deceive others.

No wonder Web and Mobile platforms attract us like a magnet. Yes, we are into a real web when we are in, we neither see the beginning nor the end. Nowadays, our moves are planned to be around WiFi.

we can't eliminate the positive side of web/mobile. Everything and anything we are able to look up to learn instantaneously. My grand nephew conducts his entire research by looking up through web rather than visiting a library.
Last year my daughter-in-law was here for a month leaving the children with my son in US.,
My grandson conveyed through phone"Amma, Appa is preparing varieties of lunch/dinner items for us-thanks to the recipes available through internet.You can take your own time to return to US."
My son said,"I am driven by methods and processes.I should say that I have learnt the science of cooking rather than the art of cooking.."
When I told my son that he seems to be transforming into a spiritually oriented person more than what he was in India 20 years back,pat came the reply'Of course,yes.I should thank the virtual world.
During my walking schedule I am listening to one hour lecture on Gita, upanishad, Advaitha, Brahma Sutras etc.What a way to become healthy, knowledgeable, at the same time to have some spiritual thinking, which is the high need of the hour!"
Thanks to the Electronic media and the palm held gadget.
"Instead of endlessly grudging and complaining about the negatives, we can look to the positive sides and reap the benefits" replied my son.

jayasala42

iyerviji · Aug 2, 2020

jayasala42 said: ↑

Yes, there is excessive use of technology .It leads to decrease
in face to face conversations,reducing people's communicative and creative skills leading to social isolation and other health problems.

In fact it is a rehearsal for living in corona world, where social distancing is the core virtue.
Decades back, when we were children, the old and young would gather in the open space in front of the house or in the Prakarams of temple and had a great time. There would be unbelievable bonhomie. There was no TV, no phone and we all depended on each other for our fun and frolicking time.Luxuries started arriving-radio,transistor, phone, TV, computer and now the cell phone.
Today people talk more with unknown and unseen faces across the globe than with local kith and kin.
What a massive change and transformation!
Some 20 years back I never even imagined that i would be posting messages to IL.
There is a saying: "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak."

Along came computers and the internet, and now: "We have two eyes and ten fingers .- not even ten fingers- one finger will do.
Many advise you to come out, speak to people and develop friendship.Result?

It may result in endless complaints, arguments all of which culminate in a headache. Safer then to escape into the virtual world where one can choose one's friends, discuss stuff with people who don't complain back and ignore the trolls. At least one has one's peace of mind.

Come to think of it, there is very little difference between social life in the 'real' world and the virtual, except for the distance. Good, bad and indifference exist everywhere. Mainly human beings are the same in either 'world'.

Virtual world suits us better as we don't even have to make efforts to get off our couches, bathe or dress! We can hide our true selves and project a likable persona to the world, we can say what we like hiding behind a pseudo-persona! Isn't this freedom?

Today with smaller families and fewer really close friends, one has to get on with the people around or be isolated. Trying to get along with inimical individuals around us could be quite an arduous job leading to spikes in BP. At such times, it is a tremendous relief to have books or the virtual world to turn to.

Unfortunately, everyone seems to be intent on having the last word in arguments/discussions these days. When we meet in person,voices get raised, discussions blow up into heated waves of arguments. If this is online, one can shut off the person or block him. The virtual world seems to be a a great relief from the unpleasantness of real life. As far as hiding our true selves is concerned, it could work both ways. Some of us feel more comfortable being our real selves in the virtual world with strangers unknown rather than with people around with us who try to be
judgemental all the time,or try to find mistakes ever. Or there could be people hiding their true identities in order to deceive others.

No wonder Web and Mobile platforms attract us like a magnet. Yes, we are into a real web when we are in, we neither see the beginning nor the end. Nowadays, our moves are planned to be around WiFi.

we can't eliminate the positive side of web/mobile. Everything and anything we are able to look up to learn instantaneously. My grand nephew conducts his entire research by looking up through web rather than visiting a library.
Last year my daughter-in-law was here for a month leaving the children with my son in US.,
My grandson conveyed through phone"Amma, Appa is preparing varieties of lunch/dinner items for us-thanks to the recipes available through internet.You can take your own time to return to US."
My son said,"I am driven by methods and processes.I should say that I have learnt the science of cooking rather than the art of cooking.."
When I told my son that he seems to be transforming into a spiritually oriented person more than what he was in India 20 years back,pat came the reply'Of course,yes.I should thank the virtual world.
During my walking schedule I am listening to one hour lecture on Gita, upanishad, Advaitha, Brahma Sutras etc.What a way to become healthy, knowledgeable, at the same time to have some spiritual thinking, which is the high need of the hour!"
Thanks to the Electronic media and the palm held gadget.
"Instead of endlessly grudging and complaining about the negatives, we can look to the positive sides and reap the benefits" replied my son.

jayasala42
Click to expand...

Awesome post.very true

HariLakhera · Aug 6, 2020

What we are seeing now is not very much new. Coming events cast their shadow before. The life in Metro towns, particularly in the last twenty years, with the advent of telephones, then mobiles and then whatsApp, coupled with the heavy traffic congestion made movement rather difficult and we started opting out from the pleasure of meeting in person. For working families, it was all the more difficult to meet on weekends as so many other pending work needed to be done. Gone are the days when one could drop in without prior notice.
Now we can talk endlessly for free on whatsApp or other massagers.We can now meet in groups in webinars. Where is the need, time or even inclination to meet in person?
Still people would like to go out on beaches, dine in fav restos, and meet their love birds.

kaluputti · Aug 17, 2020

Very good post and timely too..! As anything in this world www. has its pros and cons..! Here 'we' decide whom we meet,talk to , interact etc. and have full control of the situations good/bad/embarrassing and what not..!

The present scenario has pushed us towards internet all the more. With my artistic curiosity I have been browsing the social media sites lately where I find that a lot of creativity is happening.. It is intriguing to see that when everyone is talking about the adverse effect of covid on our economy and how it has resulted in many losing their livelihood etc...it is boom time for the persons from the art and craft world.

One prominent art material company , conducts all types of free sessions for art & craft stressing that the participants should use only the said company's products to learn and post the photo too to be admitted. There are hundreds & thousands of applicants for these sessions, now consider the volume of sales for that company. Another food processing company made millions of profit during this period.

There is a mushroom of experts & quacks who conduct online exhibitions, offer online courses for a hefty fee, for which also there is a scramble. There are astrologers doing predictions over online sessions, global universities offering courses, Doctor treating patients and it goes on....so it is only a matter of moving from the real to virtual, with its own pluses and minuses.

I find that the present covid situation is a natural process of balancing everything...and I also feel ....when we think of it, that nature took things in her hand to put the world in some order.

Are we not glad we have this concept of a web world...when we imagine the situation otherwise during epidemics like this..?

Well, seeing the way things are going this is going to be the, 'new normal' and we have to find our way through it.

Thyagarajan · Aug 24, 2020

kaluputti said: ↑

Very good post and timely too..! As anything in this world www. has its pros and cons..! Here 'we' decide whom we meet,talk to , interact etc. and have full control of the situations good/bad/embarrassing and what not..!

The present scenario has pushed us towards internet all the more. With my artistic curiosity I have been browsing the social media sites lately where I find that a lot of creativity is happening.. It is intriguing to see that when everyone is talking about the adverse effect of covid on our economy and how it has resulted in many losing their livelihood etc...it is boom time for the persons from the art and craft world.

One prominent art material company , conducts all types of free sessions for art & craft stressing that the participants should use only the said company's products to learn and post the photo too to be admitted. There are hundreds & thousands of applicants for these sessions, now consider the volume of sales for that company. Another food processing company made millions of profit during this period.

There is a mushroom of experts & quacks who conduct online exhibitions, offer online courses for a hefty fee, for which also there is a scramble. There are astrologers doing predictions over online sessions, global universities offering courses, Doctor treating patients and it goes on....so it is only a matter of moving from the real to virtual, with its own pluses and minuses.

I find that the present covid situation is a natural process of balancing everything...and I also feel ....when we think of it, that nature took things in her hand to put the world in some order.

Are we not glad we have this concept of a web world...when we imagine the situation otherwise during epidemics like this..?

Well, seeing the way things are going this is going to be the, 'new normal' and we have to find our way through it.
Click to expand...

With these inputs comprehensive debate seems to be completed.
Yes digital world and the net overarching, encompasses and embraces all human activities .

One side it is simplification eliminate distance barrier and make it possible to crunch data for better and faster analysis in research and knowledge explosion.

Despite all this simplification ease of doing things, I wonder how cost of living increased manifold since advent of technology.

With AI it is going to be tough for humankind as machines would be able to think what other humans and machines are thinking.

An idea one get by watching certain Hollywood movies like terminator spectre .

Thanks and Regards.

sandhya2020 · Aug 24, 2020

It is said when something is for free , you are the product. In covid times, people are tempted to replace normal life with online life. But the views we share online, something said in anger or frustration - It has every possibility of being accessible by the wrong person and spoiling your life.In real life, your emotions are shared between you and your friend, but online, your conversations are owned by third party.

We can try our best to teach how to not reveal details online, but often it can be easily traced to you. And no matter how much a person may train to be wise and restrained online, ordinary human beings cannot be- because they have emotions, quick reactions, strong opinions, frustrations to be vented .Emotions make us human.Yet, because of emotions , online world in not to be trusted- we might one day in one moment have said something in a frustrated state of mind- now it will haunt us forever.

Still, I admire the online world for the educational aspect. It is giving relief to people during such times when for many people, mental health is suffering.It is helping people to learn at any age any task, any time. It has revolutionized the world. Surely , we have to look at all aspects rather than negatives only.