Internet Keep the World Moving Forward

Internet Keeping the World Moving Forward

Natchanart Bellows

ESLI 51

Professor Cegler

12 December 2014

Internet Keeping the World Moving Forward

When was the last time you used the internet: Yesterday or within an hour ago? What did you use it for? Did you do something that would have taken more time without the internet? The internet has become a part of daily life for many people. Statistical data from 2011 showed that approximately two billion people were connected to the internet, and it is estimated to grow by 200 million every year (Sangani n.pag). From the time we get up in the morning, we start with checking emails, finding information to make business decisions, checking on the latest news and keeping in touch with friends and family until going to bed. It is hard to imagine how we accomplished all of these tasks before the internet existed. With high speed internet at home, public Wi-Fi service, and smart phones, the internet is accessible almost everywhere. Some would say that we are too connected spending too much time online; however, it is difficult to deny the internet has evolved into a powerful technology that improves productivity of business as well as personal life.

People who are constantly online may seem like they are wasting time and not interacting with people, isolating themselves from others, and increasing loneliness and depression. For instance, in the article, “Internet and Society: A Preliminary Report” by Nie and Erbring, the authors concluded that 25% of people who used internet more than five hours per week had decreased socialization and the longer the amount of time spent using the internet, the more people lost connection with family and friends (280). A study from Morrison and Gore described that there was a substantial connection between internet addiction and depression (125). Even so, the study cannot explain how they correlate, and it is not clear whether the internet pulls depressed people in or too much...