A Digital Age

Sep 04, 2015

By Doris Selvarajah
A new phenomenon has emerged. It dulls our minds and leads us to question no longer. It also forces us to become slaves of the new digital innovation. This modern slavery poses a challenge to our human dignity and undermines the teachings of the Church. It is reinforcing global indifference and it is an enemy that is slowly but surely planting the seed of doubt in the hearts of many unsuspecting victims. This is the age of the Internet and we all have become its prey.

A sign of this modern slavery is of the current generation with this Internet. The time wasted itself is a cardinal sin as these leaders of tomorrow are more content with being leaders tomorrow rather than take a stance on anything, now. In fact, all our opinions are formed on self-interest which mostly means that anything that does not directly affect us is not worth our time. We are content with merely existing rather than living.

In short, we have all become digital addicts, a people whose interaction with technology is excessive to the point of absorbing our attention above all else. This is a matter of great concern as it is currently a silent form of self-harm, especially for digital natives, whose virtual life and social networking sites seems to be an extension of who they are. We no longer have thoughts of our own as every coherent thought is a product of an online influence. The Internet is threatening our basic instinct to think and when this happens, it is time to sound the alarm and eradicate the pest, for if we are not made of functioning minds then are we even human? A sign of a mind deteriorating before its time is seen in the neglect of relationships, work, hobbies and a lack of focus and productivity that can be seen in our lives everyday. Our mind is slowly decaying from the lack of use and will soon be decrepit before its time. There is no end to the extent of the threat of the internet on humanity and the fact that we are unaware that we are being influenced and enslaved is what makes this issue all the more perilous.

How do we know if we have been affected by this disorder? It is simple: if the first thing you turn to each morning is your Smartphone, you have your answer. If your battery life takes precedence over mealtimes and causes you to leap over hurdles to get to the power cord then it is evidence enough that you need to take a break from IT. Lastly, if your thought process is centred on emails, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other social networking device then that is proof enough.

The question we should ask ourselves is, are we able to step away from our device long enough to see that the only necessities in life cannot be found behind a screen. What we need the most, lies within and with God and the only way we can come to this realization of our own accord is by putting aside these machines. It may be difficult to do so after a lifetime formed around it but we have to keep in mind the reward that we reap in return: our common sense and mindfulness. If that is not worth the effort, then nothing is.

Change is in our hands and so, we have reached an impasse, to leave the internet to its own devices to rot the minds of our society or to take a stand by practising moderation and taking control of our lives. The ball is in our court and whether our returning serve is an ace or a fault is determined by the choice we will make. This is our time to live. Dispel the thought of just existing.