Lauren You
Communication and technology for me has always been a way to stay connected to the rest of the world. Since I study in a foreign country, the Internet allows me to keep in touch with my close ones back home as well as making new friends abroad. As more and more people feed the system in this rapidly globalizing world, the Internet only grows with time and becomes harder to live without it each day.
As James Gleick’s book “The Information” points out, this phenomenon stems from our need for, and constant search of, information. We need to constantly interact with the people around us in order to live in this world. Humans are social creatures by nature, and communication is key to our survival. The mediums through which we communicate have developed over time, but they’ve always been there from the start.
Today, various applications like Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Google, and multiple news platforms pervade my life, bringing me information from all around the world and keeping me aware of whatever is required to get through the day. I wake up every morning to check what my family and friends have been up to, what the weather is like, what new announcements are up, etc. With information made so easily accessible, modern technology has perhaps made our lives too convenient for our own good. Sometimes our routine seems almost systematic, losing its value and lacking any real meaning. There are multiple side effects to this, such as creating false and deceiving images of ourselves online by choosing to only present the best parts of our lives and hiding our hardships and problems, which can affect our mental health.
The proliferation of the Internet is inevitable, as new generations born into this tech-saturated world will continue to use and thereby fuel the industry. However, I think it’s important to be aware of our usage of it and make sure that we’re the ones in control. I personally think I’m pretty addicted to it myself since I check my phone at every possible moment, but I think being cognizant of it is the first step towards controlling my consumption and avoid becoming too reliant on technology. I could perhaps do this more by going on a digital detox every now and then, seeking information offline instead of refreshing my social media feeds, and focusing on real-life interactions rather than sending bland emoticons on messages.