Do not be lost in the virtual world

                                                                           

                                                                                           By James Yi Lu

Thousands of years, since human beings have acquired to drill wood to make fire, people realize that the knowledge is the greatest power to develop their living standard. Making an invention of tools and technologies helps to push forward human civilization. Now, we are experiencing the sharp growth of technologies, and “the new media” is kind of product made by it. Today, let us ignore those technical achievements, and focus on what “the new media” has changed our way of thinking.

Media acts a significant role in our daily life. These days, new media attempt to engage the emerging cultures practices and the moment of transition. Newspaper, Television and radio, which are main media representative before, have been now gradually replaced by internet. Internet is compatible for abundant platforms and can be used through different cultural communities. As a result, all kinds of functional websites have been created for satisfy audiences’ needs.” Face book” (www.facebook.com), which is a famous website that accepted by a broad range of people. It can be used as chatting rooms, online photo albums, and role-playing games platforms. Also, many other technological venues of different contexts are offered by “face book”, so we can present ourselves online easily.

This change seems a perfect progress for us. Through the “facebook”, we might finish the age of face-to-face conversation because chatting online is much cheaper and more convenient. That means people just need to sit in front of a computer and connect to the internet, then they can contact with their friends who are using the “facebook”, so people can chat with friends as many as they wish. Obviously, People save time and money, which is the most valuable in this rapid pace life.

Also, people are able to watch hundreds of interesting videos, shared by friends in “facebook”, or experience various games to adventure in this virtual world. In “facebook”, they may have possibilities to find some role-playing games or applications to face and deal with our dangerous society, which is filled with “crime, drugs, terrorism, and AIDS”. For this point, “facebook” is a safe place for adolescents to have experiments to learn how to avoid dangers.

Furthermore, people, who are from different cultural communities, can submit their articles and thoughts in “facebook”. Some people may also find articles and thoughts which relate to their lives or hobbies, then, they will become friends in “facebook” with people all around the world to gain rapport or better understanding. Therefore, “facebook” make our world “smaller”, and the “distance of person” closer.

Even though, “facebook” has so many advantages, but there are still some people have some worries and question it. For example, Sherry Turkle, a famous author, questions about -” avatars or a self?” She worries those children who spend a lot of time online will grow up with too little experience with the real life and have difficulties to share their feelings with others. Actually, not only children have problems, but also for those who have no friends and feel lonely in their real daily lives will possibly to have illusion of companionship in that virtual world. That may result them to get further away from the reality. The story of one of my best friends can be a perfect example of it. He is also a student in University of Toronto. When he was in high school, he worked so hard and get excellent in his high school life. However, since he moved out and began his university life, he has spent too much time to play games and update his “facebook”. Now, he has totally lost among his courses, and felt less confidence to solve his studying problems. He even does not want to go to school, but only stay home and play computer. He thinks that he is prestigious in his online virtual world and he has lots of friends there, so he does not want to touch with the real world.

Ever coin has two sides. “The new media” might still have many disadvantages, but it really changed our way of thinking. We need to find a better way to use its good parts, and avoid its bad impact.