Curse and blessing of the 21st
century
Internet has become a vital part of our lives over the recent years. This World
Wide Web technology has turned the whole world into a global village. Back in
early 1996 on a visit to Toronto Canada from Karachi Pakistan, my brother
introduced me to internet technology for the first time. It was an absolute new
invention and this magic just baffled me. Along with him I attended a seminar on
information or internet Technology which was just in infancy and very few people
knew about it. Every one including me was so curious to know and understand it.
After getting a bit of knowhow, got a dial up connection at that time to use
e-mails and stay in touch with my loved ones. I would leave my story here to
proceed further with comments from a few people.
Information Technology has taken strides over these years. As with every new
invention and technology it has its blessings and curses. Big huge size
Computers transformed with thin sleek big monitors, from desk tops to laptops,
from big laptops to small mini, thin and then to tablets. Apple corps invented
iPad and every year a new iPad is coming in, this year its iPad air. The other
companies too didn’t lag behind with Samsung and many more; they brought their
own tablets in the great comparison of cyber world and market.
In smart phones the pioneer black berry is on the verge of bankruptcy. IPhone,
Samsung, LG and others phones are just like small computer tablets, much in
vogue and demand.
With these online contacts and cellular phones we all are closely connected to
each other. Kids have got a lot many handy games and gadgets to play on and now
with iPhone and all other smart phones there are a lot of games and apps to get
on.
Sofia-- is a senior lady but a computer savoy. She started using it for almost
16 -17 years. She has a knack of reading and writing and found computer screen
as a best tool for expression. She is associated with many online Islamic and
literary groups. After the introduction of Urdu script on computers, she types a
lot of stories in Urdu too and posts it to groups, newspapers and magazines. She
sends her English articles to English Newspapers and magazines. She has a vast
online circle .She attended many Online classes through Pal Talk, hot conference
and webinar. She is excited with all these online tools and finds it a great
source of knowledge and solace. Seeing her passion, she got two laptops as gifts
from her sons. Last year she got an iPad 2, she enjoys its great speed and
hi-tech approach on web surfing. She uses social media sites, Facebook, g+,
twitter and Linked in. She has a regular cell phone, just for emergency
contacts. She is connected through Skype with friends and family.
She gets annoyed some times when whole of her family members are busy on their
laptops, cell phones and tablets, only getting together at dinner table for a
short time.
Seerat, is a home maker, a part time employed from Oakville Canada. She is
direly against all these modern and latest gadgets may be laptops, tablets, desk
tops, smart phones and kids games. In her opinion through these, people have
lost their family time, activities, talking and sharing to each other. Every one
sitting around is holding one or the other gadget and busy in that. They are all
linked into an unseen world, connected to their online friends, having fun,
enjoying jokes on their own. Even in one house the family is connected through
computers and phones. She herself doesn’t know much about computer use but still
watches Pakistani, Indian dramas online on YouTube and other sources.
When doing nothing she sometime plays solitaire and benefits from Skype
connecting to her son and his family in Malaysia. She has a regular cell phone
for normal usage.
Sarah is a young lady, mother of four; right now she is a home staying mom or a
home maker. Her kids ages are 10- 2.The oldest two go to school, while two young
stay at home. She has a Samsung Galaxy cell phone with 3 G network. It’s called
android system,it has all the apps like iPhone, free chat and call network,
Google GPS system. She uses her phone most of the time for keeping in touch,
checking e-mails, social media, camera and video. She has down loaded whole
Quran through Quran explorer in the voice of Mishari Al Hafasi , listens Quran
with on speakers while driving and enjoys it a lot. In this way her kids can
hear tilawat too and keep attached to Quran. Never been a big fan of music, she
plays some kid’s poems. Her kids sometimes borrow her phone for games. They play
a lot of hi-tech games Wii, Gameboy, Xbox, PlayStation and many more. Sometimes
they play on her iPad.
With her busy schedule of, she hardly finds any time to sit on a computer. Over
her phone she receives e-mails, go over Facebook and chat with her long distance
friends and relatives.
Shehla is a high school student. She has a laptop and a cell phone. She uses
laptop for her school work, homework, emailing and web surfing. She doesn’t have
an internet data on her phone. It’s only used to make calls and texting. She
keeps in touch with her family and friend and her parents keep a check on her
when she is going to get off from her school and bus.
Zara is a grade 8th student. She is quite a bit computer savoy, got a kindle
fire as a gift for her good grades. She downloaded many books because she is a
prolific reader. She plays Nintendo Wii with her brothers over the weekends. She
carries a normal cell phone for emergency contacts with her family and friends.
Omar is a University student he has an iPhone 5 with him, which he enjoys a lot.
He is quite satisfied with its multiple apps and 4G networks. Keeping iPhone is
sufficient for me to check my e-mails, Facebook update, and write down short
notes. He uses it as a camera, movie recorder it’s free calling apps, through
which he does free long distance video calls. Its GPS is pretty good.” I use a
laptop and desk top for my assignments, presentations and other projects. I feel
like these gadgets are a kind of blessing for us which has made my life and
studies far easier.” He informed me.
Zakir is a student of grade 10. He is crazy after watching TV, playing WII or
PlayStation. He has all the latest games and gadgets, which he bought through
his pocket money. Earlier he had itouch and game boy. Now he got the old iPhone
of his father and handed over those games to his younger brothers. He is always
warned by his parents not to waste time and concentrate on his studies. He
enjoys making videos and sometimes posts them on you tube. He took a photography
course in his school for which he got a professional camera and tried many
options of Photoshop. He works on desk top for his assignments and homework and
sometimes borrows his father’s laptop .in his free time he mostly plays games on
his iPhone.
Ainee and her friends watch a lot of anime on computer. She is a university
student and has to study a lot. She got a lap top from university exclusively
for university work, assignments, presentations etc. During holidays she is
awake most of the night chatting with friends or playing some online games. Then
she gets up quite late at night, her mom is quite annoyed on that. She has a
regular cell phone for texting and Phone calls.
These are just a few examples which show how viral this trend of being online
and using computers has gone. These are the blessings and curses of Modern day
information Technology.
In this survey and with my observations I came to the conclusion that this
technology has transformed our lives a lot. This internet technology is now a
vital part of our lives. We have got so addicted to its usage now that we get
frustrated when it is unavailable. Even in Pakistan most of the educated people
are connected to Wi-Fi, social media, Whats app, twitter, chat rooms and
e-mails. This e-mailing and chats have released the burden on postal mail and
letters. Now the message is send with the blink of an eye with internet. We are
connected all around and to our far away loved ones.
Computers are now used by almost everyone, every day in the United States and
Canada for various purposes. The whole world is now involved in this world wide
web. This innovation has evolved and can accomplish anything from writing
papers, to Facebook, to sending an email, or shopping online. This technology
has significantly impacted the lives of many, but for better or worse? As we
progress technologically, it is hard to tell when we go too far, and whether or
not advances are positive or not.
Primarily, computers seem to be a helpful and ideal tool for everyday work.
Invented in 1936, by Konrad Zuse, the computer has grown to a popular item used
for adults and kids for work, school, and fun. This technology made it simple to
communicate between co-workers to get work done more efficiently using email,
and also has features such as soft wares to create documents, charts, and
presentations. Using this system is a professional way to organize and present
ideas in the work force. Laptops and desktops are used in schools as well as
school boards see the value in furthering technology use. They can be used as
tools for aid to teachers when they can’t always help every student. Now
students can do own research and start to learn on their own. Advancements for
computers have made school work easier as students can research using the
internet as an almost infinite source of information. Not only are computers
helpful in getting work done, but are used for personal enjoyment. These
machines allow access to games, online shopping, social networking, and the
opportunity to explore the world all from your own seat. More uses of computers
are the serious aspects they help. Military often rely on the use of
communication and technology of computers for safety. Computers also help bring
the news back to us as we can watch on our own screens. Computers could be
saving lives. Plus, computers save paper; computers save trees.
The bad influence or the curse of this technology is that it has stolen many
lovely moments of a family life. Those moments gradually changed, first with the
advent of TV, then internet. Today in a cartoon, a couple is sitting across each
other, the boy is looking to his phone and the girl says, let me tie this phone
to my forehead just to pretend that you are looking at me. It used to be a very
bad manner not to get involved or focused to the conversation in a group. Now
even the mature, grownups, responsible would hear a chime of their phone, pull
it out and start texting or reading the message in the middle of a discussion.
Many of them would start playing solitaire or other games to avoid boredom of
the conversation. The US senators in the senate were once photographed, playing
on their computers in a session. Participants are asked to turn off their cell
phone in an important meeting to avoid distraction.
What to say about kids, who sneak in to get their parents phone to avoid boredom
and the parents wish them to be busy too. Actually these smart phones have
drastically changed the scenario with the handy computers and data connections.
In North America in a normal house hold almost everyone has a laptop and most
have smart phones. It’s a normal scene to watch every one holding it and busy
with their gadget while sitting together.
The main concerns as we all know and I had repeatedly mentioned in my previous
articles is to be aware of what one is doing on internet. There should be always
this sense and caution that Allah swt, the all knower is watching us all the
time and two angles kiraman katibin are recording each and every detail. There
are always two aspects or sides of everything and so is with this technology.
The young generation or kids should be watched what they are doing on internet.
There is a lot of bad, ugly, vulgar and indecent stuff going on there. There are
predators, pornographers and a lot of inappropriate sites which could devastate
young, teen and even adult minds. It is a great responsibility of parents to be
watchful.
To determine whether this technology is a blessing or a curse is one of the
hardest decisions one can make. This has generated a big controversy, leading
into the creation of two different positions and views: supporters and
opponents.
From the supporters’ point of view, technology improves our quality of life.
Some of the most important discoveries we have done would not have been possible
without the usage of this technology. Things like the internet have definitely
changed the perspective we had of distances. Now we can just connect to the
World Wide Web and communicate with people who are miles away from us. This is
only one of the many examples we could give to prove the fact that technology is
a blessing and that our life would not be the same without it.
In my opinion, technology is neither a blessing nor a curse; it’s both. What
makes it change its position is how we use it. We can’t blame a nuclear weapon
for the damage it produces; we blame the person who detonated it. It’s the same
with everything else, computers, medicines, cars, planes, TV, movies … and even
with every day’s simple things. What should remain in our conscience is if what
we do with it will either bless or curse us and our own life.