Sunday, April 10, 2011

Internet Addiction?

Check out this post at the NYT online: Miss G: A Case of Internet Addiction.

An excerpt:
"This kind of Internet use isn’t usefully described as an addiction, even if there’s some shirking of chores and insomnia to it. Fantasy life and real life should, ideally, be brought into balance — but no student who’s making decent grades needs to get off the Internet just because it would look more respectable or comprehensible to be playing chess, throwing a Frisbee or reading a George Orwellpaperback. The Internet as Gabriela uses it simply is intellectual life, and play. She’s just the person I’d want for a student, in fact — or a friend, or a daughter." 


Do you think you are addicted to the Internet? How do you strike a balance between online and offline engagement? 
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3 comments:

  1. Paul H.April 23, 2011 at 8:20 PM

    I think i'm sort of addicted to the net. I'm not as extreme to fall asleep with a laptop and such, but my online life consists of social networking and checking for updates of certain television shows and video games. I can easily spend up to ten hours a day online with about 79% of the time networking. The balance shifts when I have to do research papers, which then my networking drops to about 46% :-) lol.

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  2. Alyssa ColstonApril 25, 2011 at 9:12 AM

    I definitely think it is very easy to become addicted to the internet. Especially through social networking sites like Facebook, because they are constantly being updated and there is that level of instant gratification. However, for myself, I thrive on face to face communication, and would rather have a dialogue in person. I feel as though a lot gets misinterpreted through the internet, and even through things like text, so I try to keep all conversations offline and use the internet for primarily entertainment use.

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  3. MDunstApril 27, 2011 at 4:38 PM

    I agree with the article and the other comments. It is very easy to get sucked into spending a lot of time on the Internet. One link leads to another and you learn about things you've never even heard of. I don't think people who are using the Internet, like Gabrielle, should be considered addicts. She is learning and sharing her experiences with her friends through her social network connections.

    But, when it comes down to it, really there is no replacement for face to face communication.

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