The infamous or Famous Internet

Blog #2, 9-4-14

Maria Kozdroy

*Please note, this is to be used as a response to class readings and discussion.

In this post, I am going to argue that the Internet can be harmful to children’s minds no matter what way they may be using it for.

 

            What do you use the internet for?  Educational reasons, social reasons, leisure reasons, etc.?  But the real question is, does the internet make individuals smarter or stupider?  According to Woodhouse, “Unintended outcomes of course vary greatly in severity and in the number of people affected.”  I agree with this statement. I believe that there are many positive benefits that come from children using the internet on a day to day basis, while there too are several negative effects that can affect the child’s morale of making wise decisions. 

 First of all the way, the definition of “smart” according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary is very good at learning or thinking about things, mentally alert.  “Stupid” on the other hand, is defined as not intelligent, not sensible or logical.

All those memes and online games children and teenagers play and view online can be considered junk food for their brains.  The human mind is the most powerful machine of them all in my opinion, and it can hold an enormous amount of information.  The best way to keep one’s mind healthy is to put good in.  Really, how are video games helping children improve their mind’s ability to learn more and hold more information.  Let’s explore.

          American author and journalist, David Wolman, agrees that the internet can be used to help humans and hinder humans’ minds.  He states, “On the contrary: The explosion of knowledge represented by the Internet and abetted by all sorts of digital technologies makes us more productive and gives us the opportunity to become smarter, not dumber.”  There’s thousands of news articles online and resources available nowadays that should be taken advantage of.  However, in most cases, it is easier to search for a game online to play, and easily start playing it.  Mr. Wolman also mentions, “To be sure, there is plenty of evidence that ignorance and irrationalism are rampant.”  How can society change these tendencies of kids and teens to use the internet in a more resourceful way?  Is there really a solution to this problem? Many educational websites exist, it is just a matter of time that a kid will understand the true significance of it.

            Parents are encouraged to put parental controls on what their children view and at what times can their children use the internet during the day.  Contrarily, the passion some kids have in online games may make them want to go to school to study video game design.  As the famous proverb goes, follow your dreams and passion.  For others, online games can spark ideas for some children to consider getting in a fight or robbery.  Along the same lines, one kid may read an article on how drugs are affecting high school students, and may feel the impulse to try something they may not feel is wrong until afterward.

            In addition, one thing I personally feel when reading an internet news article, is a sense of dizziness, same with internet games.  The fast moving adventure games with flashy colors such as Skullgirls, do too affect me in the same way.

            Overall, the internet is a major source of all information around the world.  There are both pros and cons to children using the internet.  It is up to society, in my eyes, to provide a good example of the practical, beneficial uses of the internet.

 

 

Works Cited:

Woodhouse STS Class Text

http://archive.wired.com/culture/culturereviews/magazine/16-09/st_essay