2B) Digital use - postitive or negative?

The Internet is a genius invention that we probably are more attached to than we would like to admit. It solves are problems, plans our days, saves time and is a good remedy in studying. If we use it right, it can do anything in our life. Do we use it right?

Too much time spent in front of a screen may cause serious health threats like insomnia, stress related problems and addiction. Is it worth it?

Many people today, especially the younger generation, are unable to concentrate without constantly checking the phone or the Internet. Is it as helping as we think, or is it just a distraction in our work?

Today we have a digital lifestyle steered by our desire to the Internet. We are always available and reachable in every situations, and it is impossible to take breaks without missing out. You have to be on all the time. Many points out the possible consequences of health treats and possible bullying when not used right. It is a demand on the use of internet.

The Internet gives us all opportunities in the world, because we have the world in our hands and lap the entire time trough electronics like cellphones, tablets and computers. We are looking at different screens all day, and we fracture attention into smaller and smaller bits. It is both positive and negative consequences, and it may save us some time. If we use it right, it is the best tool we could have had in our stressful life. If not used right it may be the cause to health threats.

As I have mentioned, too much time in front of screens may cause serious health threats. Insomnia, stress and addiction, for instance, but also frustration and weariness. It is hard to live up to the expectations on the social media, and it is challenging always being reachable. We may understand the cause to our problems, but in the most cases, we cannot stop it. The digital lifestyle is our lifestyle today, and the younger generation grow up with it. In the worst cases the digital addiction is treated with digitally detoxify, witch is like a rehab for your addictive habits. People who have been to detoxing describes it as a peaceful break where the mind gets quiet. It is smart to unwind to lower the possible risks to develop illness, and to take breaks from digital distractions. The claim today is to be reachable. It is hard to unwind when your boss or other employees know you are only a smartphone away, and this is for friends as well. You are forced.

We multitask all the time. This may save us time, but this also lower the productivity. Students for example. They mainly use the internet as a remedy in the studying, but they also use it to social media. Students have less ability to filter out irrelevant information when they are switching between tasks and media. This definitely affects the result.

It is done some research on the possible impact digitally equipment has on children. “The content delivery by electric media is far more influential than the media themselves”. This is one of the discoveries from the article “Media and Attention, Cognition and School Achievement” from Marie Evans Schmidt and Elizabeth A. Vandewater. “The content in the TV-shows is crucial to the impact on childrens achievements. Educational TV is positive for the achievements, and entertainment TV is negative for the achievements. Video games can enhance visual spatial skills, visual tracking, mental localization and problem-solving skills”.

To summarize; our digital lifestyle brings many consequences with it. I have mentioned some health threats because of our digital use, and I have mentioned some impacts on skills and achievements.

We can then conclude with both advantages and disadvantages on our use.

It may spare us time by multitasking, or it may take up time trough social media and addiction.

Too much time spent in front of a screen is not good, no matter what.

Even tough our lifestyle demands us to be online and available, it is okay to take brakes and unwind for a moment. The consequences of a missed phone call or a message is in many ways better than the consequences of heavy digital use. Use your head and social skills more than your cellphone.