The Network/Internet Age

Internet is a virtual reality. Practically, anything is possible. When the Internet had just emerged, people were taking advantage of the E-Mail. It was easy for a person to send a virtual mail to their friend across the world in two seconds. The Internet and the telephone are two of the many technology machines that have provoked the biggest impacts.

As mentioned in a previous entry, people, mostly teenagers, tend to fake their identities in the network. Teenagers are more likely to do so because they are at the age where they are constantly trying to find their true identity based on communities, friends, and social life. "Moreover, a great deal of attention has been focused on social exchanges based on fake identities and role playing"(Castells, 2001).

The Internet has created many online activities such as online gaming, instant messaging, emailing, and Facebook, that it is slowly creating a loss in the social environment. It is eliminating outdoor social activities (i.e. biking, swimming, going out to the movies). It is also creating a downfall in the communication in the household. For instance, my weeknights after dinner used to consist of watching TV with my family. However, today, it consists of surfing on the Internet pointlessly or instant-messaging with a friend. People are finding social communication from out of their normal range. Instead of creating strong commmunication ties with their close family and friends, they tend to find social networks beyond their location and reach. Manual Castells, writer of the book The Internet Galaxy, mentions about the Internet and identity: "Reality seems to be that many, probably most social users of computer mediated communication create on-line selves consistent with their off-line identities" (Castells, 2001).

Psychologically, over the years, studies have shown that Internet or computer users have influenced an higher depression and loneliness; and therefore, a social breakdown. It has also created a new stereotype; computer nerd. This stereotype is identifiable by a person who spends an enormous amount of hours in front of the computer screen either playing video games or figuring ways to hack the system. They are also identified as having "no life"; in other words, having no social life because they are often home in their room for long periods of hours. The highest Internet activity that has the greatest impact on people's well-being is considered to be games (i.e. Starcraft, World of Warcraft) with a decline of social contact; often remaining in their room, constantly playing game for several hours.

Children today are growing up in a society that is forming a gap between people's social interaction. It's dangerous because all the little children are growing up to do what we do; less outings, more indoor computer activities. Therefore, the later generations will live in a world unsaturated of social interaction. For instance, instead of going out with friends to play soccer at the nearest park, children will rather choose to play online games with their friends because it simplifies things, and in addition, it equally satisfies their need or want. Many people believe playing online interactive games and instant-messaging is a social activity; however, it is only an artificial social life that people are creating and mistaking for.