Internet as a Distraction - Essay Example

The internet is changing people's lives in ways that were not anticipated. With the advancement of technology, people can access information wherever they are as long as they have access to the internet. With the availability of search engines such as Google, one can easily find what they are looking for by the click of a button. Apart from accessing information, the internet has made the world a global community where people can get in touch with others from any part of the world without physical contact. Despite all these, overindulgence on the internet can become a problem to people as it is easily addictive. This paper presents two individuals Gabby and Tristan who have different views on the internet as a distraction. Gabby believes that the web is a distraction whereas Tristan is opposed to that fact and thinks the internet is a tool that should be embraced in our daily lives.

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Gabby: The availability of internet to everyone at any time makes it difficult for students to concentrate on their studies. Instead of staying focused in class, students find it interesting to sign in to their social networks looking for updates on what their friends are doing. The distraction in class affects the students' studies negatively since they do not pay attention to their lectures. Moreover, many students spend a lot of time on the internet thus they study less. Some who plan to study get tempted to check out social media just for a few minutes and end up spending hours which affects their education. Many students confess that they do their homework in a rush since they ran out of time as they were surfing.

Due to the availability of a lot of information and many sites to visit, people develop poor reading skills. Individuals tend to skim and scan rather than read a whole article. By skimming, many people do not remember what they read as they did not take the time to read and understand what they were reading. This means that people are relying on the internet to store information instead of making use of their memory. Since one did not understand a topic well, it interferes with problem-solving and critical thinking. Thus, people are not using their brains to their maximum capacity when it comes to storage and analysis of information.

The internet is flooded with different articles such that it was difficult to focus on what is genuine and legit. There is a growing concern with the information that people are accessing today as much of it is based on gossip. Even in doing research, it is hard for one to identify what is true from false as there is a lot of information that is not verified. It makes it hard for students and professionals to carry out studies on different subjects. One can readily accept misleading information to be the truth and end up making the wrong decisions on sensitive issues such as health care.

Tristan: The problem with people today is that they fear information. Information empowers people and the thought that everyone can access it at any given time is scary. The internet enables people to multitask as they can work as well as read on what is happening in their environment. Being up to date does not mean that one is distracted as one makes an extra effort for the update. It is well known that rest is good for the brain and accessing the internet is a good way of spending one's free time. One relaxes by accessing the internet and acquires knowledge in the process.

It is only those who cannot control themselves that end up spending a lot of time on the web. Availability of the internet enables individuals to practice control. If one can limit himself to spend a few minutes on fascinating articles, then that person can control himself to abstain from other detrimental practices such as substance abuse. The control encourages discipline in distinguishing between serious working and study time from leisure. Distractions will always be available; even before the popularity of the internet, people did other activities that took their attention from important matters.

Instead of being pessimistic about the information available on the web, we should take advantage of the diversity of ideas. The fact that one has a different point of view does not imply that the information is necessarily wrong. In fact, all the information out there provides individuals with the chance to distinguish relevant from misleading ideas. Availability of contradicting concepts encourages critical thinking. One has to carefully evaluate the things learned, and make a sound decision. The Internet provides a window for people to harmonize different beliefs, cultures, and problem-solving techniques.

In conclusion, it is true that distractions will always be there. The important thing is what people do to avoid distractions. Sleep ensures that the brain has had enough rest, it is easier to focus once one is fresh as compared to a tired person. Another way of avoiding distractions is minimizing anger and stress which make one stay on the internet in an attempt to forget his problems. Finally, people should watch out for things that waste time and work smarter for shorter periods of time to avoid boredom which can make one seek the internet for entertainment. Therefore, it is important for people to identify their weaknesses when it comes to distractions, and ensure they complete the useful tasks before indulging in leisure activities.