There are youngsters hooked on to Facebook, online role-playing games like World of Warcraft or instant messaging services like Skype or Gtalk, like depression to chocolate. [break]
Although, not quite harmful as of yet, these services have led to the concept of virtual socialization where young people prefer to make new friends and interact with existing one on social networking sites rather than in real life.
The concept of meeting people, having a cup of coffee over an unimportant conversation has slowly started dwindling down to the computer screen.
So the question stands, Are youngsters forgetting how to interact in the real world and make friends on a personal level? Is the technological race spurring on a culture of digital isolation?
The main reason for this technological influence is its accessibility. Internet is available cheap for computers and now, even cell-phone companies are focusing more on GPRS Internet, making it cheaper than actually making a call.
This makes it easier for young people to sign on to Facebook chat or Google Talk and chat away, killing vocal conversation. But there seem to be other sides to the story as well.
Youngsters argue that technological advancement has brought about a revolution of social connection, making the world a much smaller place.
Connecting family members or friends in different continents bring people closer than regular socialization ever could.
“The concept of this virtual socialization is defiantly bad but there we are only looking at the bad side of the picture. Facebook has connected so many long lost friends, gaming develops many motor skills and I think, people communicating in any way is good,” opines 21-year-old Ellina Dangol, a MBBS student at Kathmandu Medical College.
“There are downsides to it if you are addicted, like you’re bound to suffer from bad sight and it’s definitely not good for you physically but I don’t think that technology is bad for the youth. There are so many things you can learn from the Internet and so many ways you can connect to people,” she adds.
Online gaming and addiction to computer games also seem to be an interest that envelops these youngsters. Young people these days seem to enjoy sports on their console systems like the PlayStation or XBOX, but before the technological revolution, there used to be camaraderie between youngsters of the neighborhood.
Sports would be a game of football or cricket between friends.
Virtual gaming has led to youngsters isolating themselves in their rooms and indulging in a game of Fifa with their computerized companion. This in turn fuels the concept of digital isolation.
“I used to live in a hostel when I was young and for me, entertainment was playing chungi, seven-stones or hide and seek with my friends. When I came home, I used to love to play cricket with my neighborhood friends,” says 25-year-old Doctor, Sashank Parajuli, adding, “I don’t think youngsters these days are very friendly with their neighbors. They are so occupied in their digital world that they are escaping the real world.
This can lead to many problems like obesity and can even cause developmental problems. These kids might find it difficult to communicate or work with people in the future.”
Schools have started providing student portals for the students; teachers have started accepting email homework and have also started posting up projects up on Facebook for easier collaboration.
Technology and Internet are seamlessly connected with youth and there seems to be little that parents can do to control it.
“It is very difficult to put a restriction on the Internet or the time my son spends on the computer,” says parent Anita Sharma. “My son works on the computer on so many creative projects but also spends lots of time on Facebook. He receives homework on the Internet, works on his projects on the computer and it makes it difficult to point out a restriction. I have a Facebook account, I talk to my friends on the Internet but I don’t do it all the time,” she informs.
Modern society is built around modern technology and although computer technology has made things easier and knowledge accessible, the fact stands that youngsters are moving away from real world socialization, trading it for virtual world interactions.
Technological advances have brought about positive changes and as every good thing has a downside, the side effects of this revolution are yet to be seen.
While the conversations are left dangling, the coffee turning cold, the love for bright screens and keyboard conversations seem to be revolutionizing the society.
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