Ubiquitous Internet

Dixya Poudel

Scrolling through the social media can be quite astonishing. You never know what it is going to direct at you, although it does tend to align with your views. Scrolling through the phone on Facebook or Instagram, you may come across a post of pets flouncing gleefully. You may also see an exotic bird chirping in the wilderness which has garnered millions of likes. Then there are memes that flood the social media. They can range from frivolous to downright ludicrous. While you may chuckle with mirth, at the same time you may worry that you are wasting valuable time online. 

Smartphones have overtaken the allure of television. When television was manufactured for mass consumption in the mid-20th century, there was a widespread outcry. People decried this new invention saying it could turn minds of the masses, rendering them inutile. There were numerous publications written about the looming threat of the television which mostly expressed worries over the probable social degradation. But eventually it all quieted down and people turned to the television to acquire news and information but even greatly to receive entertainment in the form of popular culture such as soap opera, movies and music. 

Baby Boomer generations grew up with the cacophony of the television at their living rooms. So did the millennials. Each new generation tends to soak up the trending technology. It is no wonder then that Gen Z, the ‘It generation’ has taken to the internet like a duck to water. Or one could say, like its parents and grandparents did with the television. Studies have been poring over the possible consequences of the internet on the new generations as screen time has become highly coveted. The very millennials who grew up with the television and later the internet are now exasperated with the technology and gadget addiction of their children. It doesn’t help that internet like television is addictive. 

However, internet has even deeper reaches than the TV. The online world can cater according to one’s preference thanks to the algorithm. It has an effect even on education and information. With a few swipes and taps on the smartphones, users can understand basics of coding, learn arts and crafts, and even find meanings of difficult words. Schools and educational institutes today impart education through devices such as computer and even a tablet or an iPad. Adults too can learn something new from the internet from acquiring a new language to learning how to draw and create a masterpiece. 

For centuries, education has been imparted through formal settings such as classrooms in schools. However, this meant that there were discriminations. Students in developing nations had fewer educational facilities as compared to the students in developed nations. This gap in accessibility and availability of education has been greatly bridged through the internet which is here to stay, whatever the critics may decry. Therefore, it has become vital to utilise this ever-evolving technology with adequate measures. 

Next time you scroll on social media, make sure to tap likes on educational contents aside from entertaining ones. Since this media is fueled by your preferences, the more you view certain content, the more of such content is bounced back. It is in your own best interest to make the most of this ubiquitous technology.