Internet – An Addiction or A Necessity?
Nowadays, whenever you enter a restaurant or a café, have you ever observed the patrons there? Here they are, out for a meal with family or group of friends but all you see is their faces stuck to their phones/tablets.
Sadly, this is a very common phenomenon in these days and times. You take away their phones/tablet; or to be precise; you dare to take away their internet access; you may never be forgiven, ever! It does not matter who you are, take away my internet and you made an enemy for life.
The joys of real life experiences are secondary. All those travelling trips, what your mother made for dinner last night, anniversaries/ special occasions, even funerals are Facebook/Instagram/Tweeter moments first, with real-life enjoyment coming in a distant second.
The urge to “share” is relentless For example, often, when we sit down for dinner — and the pasta/cake just looks too good — we’ll upload a picture of the meal before we lift a fork. When travelling, beautiful/breath-taking pictures have become mandatory/expected. The approval/recognition/acknowledgement from peers and family alike has become so addictive. Instant gratification is like an unseen drug.
Harassed parents resort to enticing their children with the colourful world of cartoons and games to soothe their tantrums. The days for parents spending quality time is long gone due to the fact that lifestyles and life habits have changed in the past decades. We are more reliant on technology than we ever were before. News and information is travelling at an alarming rate. Sometimes unconfirmed news sells hotter than the actual facts.
You need to attend an interview and the address might as well as be in Timbuktu. What do you do? Of course, Waze or Google Maps is able to help you out either by vehicular travel or on foot. You are newlyweds and the in-laws suddenly decide to come over for a family dinner. Gasp, what to do? No worries, there’s YouTube or Asian Food Channel for an emergency easy to follow guide.
There is no denying that technology is beneficial and has the ability to enrich lives. However, it is important to find the balance. A personal call/visit to wish a friend or family member “Happy Birthday”, is so much more meaningful rather than sending a birthday tweet, no matter how cute the cat tied to the balloons look like.
Attend a funeral to show compassion and offer emotional support instead of sending condolences via Facebook. Finding the balance will not only enrich your soul, it may also allow you to enjoy life to the fullest.
Take that bite (you know it will taste delicious) instead of taking a picture!
