In this entry I shall stress upon Computer Mediated Communication which basically refers to any form of communication using computers and computer networks, including e-mail, electronic conferences, newsgroups and Web chats.
I reckon, this is gonna be my favourite entry ! :D haha
Well this week my coms professor asked the class a debating question: "Do you think the internet is a waste of time?!"
Well this week my coms professor asked the class a debating question: "Do you think the internet is a waste of time?!"
While I was confident about my reply, I was taken aback to assimilate the fact that there were quite a few who agreed with the statement! I would have thought that everyone in the classroom was irrevocably addicted to the internet the way I was! hahaha. However, I for one would HAVE to disagree about it being a waste of time. Through the internet, I managed to establish close relationships which I'm ever so grateful for. :)
OrkutAt the age of 15, I guess teenagers probably think it is "cool" to have like a zillion friends in your buddy list which made me no exception. Adding random strangers on the net was definately not an issue.(A form of 'personal identity', influence of CMC comes into play here.) Three years have come and gone and even though the craze of "zorpia" has worn off, I still am very close to a few of my net friends. Infact I wouldn't call them "net friends" their more than just that! Especially Carla, she's one of the closest girl friends I've ever had and I think its safe to call her my best friend. :)) Even though I haven't met her in real life I know that she is not just in that "virtual world" as you may put it, she's reality!
Carla and ME! :))By the looks of it I guess I'm not the only one whose thankfull to social sites like facebook, zorpia, orkut etc. FIRMS, yes ! Firms as well have started making use of these sites to promote certain ideas and recieve feedback from the people. It is known to be a faster medium of communication.
The recent article in 'My Paper,Singapore' highlights the latest social site TWITTER that has made headlines. Its editor, Mr John Davidson, told 'My Paper', "Twitter is a good tool of communication between us and our readers, because they 'tweet' regularly. "
Excerpt from 'My Paper', SingaporeFirms use Twitter to update readers to breaking news and share "short and snappy" news opinions and analysis. Other businesses see Twitter as a way to keep their business partners in the loop about what they are doing. They see it as a conventional way to update distributors and advertisers on what the company does on a daily basis. This promotes transparency.
Twitter
This shows the influence of CMC on 'the community'. The internet also has its influence on knowledge, "weired schools" also known as e-learning, which is conducted from a "distance". There are many sites that are educational such as youtube, google, wikipedia etc that are often used by many students and also by organisations to retrieve information. However majority maintain the opinion that the most important kind of learning is still face-to-face schooling.
Facebook (which I'm oh-so-addicted too! :P)Apart from these merits, the internet does suffer major drawbacks that are a result of unethical practices like pornography, rave parties, hacking accounts etc. It is because of demerits like these that the internet is often termed as being "unsafe". Also due to the anonymity of the internet, people tend to stick to their perception of the internet being a mere waste of time!
Share your opinion! Do YOU think the internet is a waste of time? Sharing of experiences are welcome ! :D
Share your opinion! Do YOU think the internet is a waste of time? Sharing of experiences are welcome ! :D
This is indeed a good topic to comment on...well people are so addicted with the internet and with all the networking sites which are in great demand cause now a days ur not cool if you dont have a Facebook or Orkut Account..Thesee sites have been used in different forms of exploitation, probably for different or illegal practicies of society.like organinzing rave parties and so on..but it also shows a very great example of Cynera herself who has been on these sites for really long now and resulted in a positive outcome of havin one of her best mates through the internet. It def depends on how you percieve things. I guess its proven by cynera that you can have the best firends in the world without even meeting them...CHeers cynera well done :D
ReplyDeleteI feel a bit peeved when I hear someone say that the interent is a waste of time. Thanks to the Internet I met my best friend! Someone I can not replace. Inaddition, one can travel around the world with just one click. Also, Globalisation is a result of the internet. To end, I think that the internet is something we should all be thankful for :)
ReplyDeleteCarla <3
yea this is a good way of showing how a social backbone of people on the internet has developed using these websites.Not only that but these firms make a lot of money promoting stuff on their website..
ReplyDeleteBut at times i would have to say that we do waste some amount of time on the internet
Well Cinu, as just as you started blogging as a pro, you ended it on a very very high note :) Im one of those who is addicted to the internet. I believe that social networking sites are the platform where you can like meet people from all across the globe .Thats a vastly enriching experience. Regarding 'online' friends (well i wont call 'em virtual) they're more than real friends many times. And cinu, i regard her as more than a sister.
ReplyDeleteGlobalisation has made our world such a small global village. :) It has got its own advantages and disadvantages. But my opinion is that internet has taught us a lot and we should be grateful to it :).
<3
Well I guess it's all subjective!
ReplyDeleteThere is a plethora of advantages with respect to the Internet, when properly used of course ... as it is the world's largest library, for example.
However, one must not ignore its negatives, and some degree of control is required, such as when it is used by young children!
Well done for this all encompassing-article! Also, very well-written! Keep up the good work =)
Hey cynera,
ReplyDeleteYou have made a very good post. Yup, I do share your views. There is always two sides to everything. We cannot deny that the internet has evolved to become a part of our lives.
The internet has allowed us to greatly benefit mankind in myriads of ways. From being a great social networking tool to providing people with vast information, the internet seems to be a technology that produces benefits galore.
In contrast to this, there is also the existing potential to abuse this technology. However, I personally feel that the benefits present outweigh the disadvantages.
One could extend the analogy to the written word, perhaps literacy should be limited to those that really need it - the clergy, scribes, schools for those scribed and firms.
ReplyDeleteAs a former junkie (aka college student), I can attest to the hours that one can waste on the internet.
Just like finances, our time needs to be budgeted... as unlike time you can't get a loan for more time when you run out.
Nice blog though. Good work!
-M
Thoughtful piece! :)
ReplyDeleteYes it is subjective! Some people cannot live without the internet due to their 'addiction' (like you my friend.. haha) and to some people (like me) would be better of without it! It is all subjective.
However from my prespective,the internet = a curious piece of crap. Without it you're almost lost and with it you are definitely lost. Thank goodness for search engines. But I must say there are far too much useless and repeated information on the net and to little relevant information. Just by discarding half a billion web pages, the planet can almost exist for another 100 years or so to come.
But my question is, when do we really (need) use the internet? There must be like a need for something or information. It is like buying a new toothbrush; you don't go and buy a new toothbrush every time you stroll past a shop. So do small businesses really benefit from the internet, do us as humans really benefit, or is it just a hype till someone finds something else.
We all know the situation around email, spam - spam and some more spam. What I hate is getting the same mail or video clips from ten different people, some I don't even know. My suggestion is to make people pay for emails. If you send a mail you pay, so this will stop unnecessary emails. Then people will only send what is important and what you really need. But what do I really need? Only I will know.
Well written article! love the choice of words :) and I guess your one of those lucky ones who acquires something that is good from the internet, like your best friend! Well done.
People have different opinion's on whether the internet is useful or a waste of time. As years go by, the use of computers is becoming part of our daily lives. The computer has so many functions beyond surfing the net; the convenience of paying bill's online, emailing long distance family/friends, following up on homework assignments and conducting business are part of our daily use. It's a convenience for most.
ReplyDeleteI personally do not use the internet for much beyond work related issues. I enjoy the convenience of being able to contact hiring managers about issues, contacting potential candidate's for hire, among other issues that come up on a daily basis. I receive on average 50-80 business emails a day--this eliminate's a lot of time spent on the phone and more time spent on work. Its very quick and easy for me to communicate with others.
To each their own, everyone has a different use for the internet--it may be for pleasure or work. In my opinion, the internet is not a waste of anyone's time. Well written article! I like your entries..keep up the flawless work! :)
Internet browsing time is necessary these days to keep updated on the recent happenings. Intelligent search is the key to efficient and effective browsing. Read some time back that Bill Gates spends quite a bit of time in searching on the job postings of Microsoft's competitors. Based on the skill sets advertised, Bill Gates is able to predict the path the competitors are taking. Think this is an excellent way to keep yourself ahead of your competition. Spending quality time browsing the internet helps me keep updated as to where the logistics industry (my current work area) is headed as a whole. The last couple of businesses I have worked for have had a block on certain websites, such as Facebook and Myspace and celebrity gossip sites. I completely understand their reason for doing so because when you are paying someone for their time you expect them to be working and not "wasting their time" online. And anyone who is a current user of Facebook, for example, knows you can get sucked in and spend more time than you intended to. In the workplace I believe the internet should be used for work-related reasons only or for brief moments to check the weather for example.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I think the internet has made a profound impact on the ability for us to keep in touch with what's going on around us. I don't watch very much TV, so the internet is how I am alerted to important events and current news. And I find Facebook, for instance, more efficient when communicating with friends than trying to call them all. You can waste time on the phone too!
Well done tweety!
ReplyDeleteI love this post!
and it is true,
u do meet great ppl online...
i met you<3
--Ur Rat
I wouldn't say the interenet is a waste of time.. It depends on the reasons you are using it for.. Social networking is fine as long as one isn't addicted to it.It is a good way for keeping in touch with friends and family. The internet is important to keep up with current issues and it is also important for students working on projects and resarch papers. The Internet is very useful just as long as people do not abuse it and use it for unethical purposes... :)
ReplyDeletethe internet is a TOTAL waste of time...though im guilty of being one if its obsessive users if i could i would stop....
ReplyDeletebesides being unrealistic...its a waste of time....
The internet is one of the most powerful tools we have today. The more people like to believe that technology does not affect them, the more it does. This exponential growth of influence of the internet has lead to invention completely new concepts like viral marketing.
ReplyDeleteMy company which specialises in viral marketing uses all of the technologies/media you have mentioned above. Its basically a concept where we encourage people to use new media and technologies for product promotion.
I think it is really important that people realise the potential in these technologies especially in these tough times of recession where everybody is cost-cutting!
And i'm really impressed with the research that goes into every post of yours and i would like to offer you a job as a guest blogger with company. Do let me know.
mail me at prashant(at the rate of)technomentia(dot)com
the internet is NOT a waste of time ok SOMETIMES it is. Even though I LOVE LOVE LOVE Facebook and MSN,I'm ALWAYS on it. I mean, even if I have to study for a test or something, I'm STILL ON IT!!!!
ReplyDeleteso .... maybe that's why my grades are the way they are now?? lol
I so do not think that internet is a waste of time. Haha maybe most of us are alike! =D
ReplyDeleteI think the internet helps us communicate with one another much more conveniently especially since many people are too engrossed in their work/studies now. The internet allow us to manage our social life even when we're in the midst of our busy schedule. =D
well interenet helps us in a lot of ways..
ReplyDeletecommunication, news, studies, entertainment and lots more...
so yeah internet is an essential part of everyone's life..
and it does help in meeting new ppl..
i even found my latest crush on it...;p
Hmmmmmm interesting comments I must say! :))
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your response! :D