What is the Internet?

In my life and the life of most students, the internet is everything. We use it for everything from going to class and doing school work to scrolling through social media in our free time. The bottom line is, we are extremely reliant on the internet for almost everything we do daily. It is not only, everything, it is everywhere. 96% of Americans have a cell phone, and therefore have access to the internet.

One of the reasons we are so attached to the internet is that it makes our lives much easier. It connects thousands of different networks across the world. In a matter of seconds anyone with a phone, computer, or laptop can access any information they want. People can email their homework answers across continents or attend classes face to face over a zoom call, all without leaving their chair.

Clearly, the internet has many benefits, but are we becoming too reliant on it? I, like many people my age, spend much of my time everyday on the internet. I take my classes online, where I also read textbooks and articles. I spend my free time watching TV, streaming shows and movies, on social media, and listening to music. Nowadays, I even order food online, due to the effects of Covid-19.

I had never considered this online obsession as a problem until recently, when, similarly to the author of the article, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” I found myself struggling to read traditional books. While reading novels, I found myself with a shorter attention span than ever, only able to read a chapter or two at a time. The same is true for textbooks. Reading fifteen pages of my art history textbook is harder and takes longer than it used to. I used to work through the pages quickly, but now I frequently get distracted by notifications on my phone or lose focus on what I am reading.

The takeaway is that the internet is a useful tool, but one that we should not over use. It has obvious benefits and can help us become more productive and intelligent. But, there comes a point when time spent on the internet can take away from other things that life has to offer, which is counter productive. So we should all use the internet, but we must control how often we use it.