Joanna Smith

SLM 521

Elective – Silicon Snake

1. The internet provides a sense of power and community.

I completely agree with this statement. The ability to remain in contact with friends, loved ones, and businesses is overwhelmingly aided by email and speedy internet access. Someone who wants to find and contact an old friend now has a personalized, fast, and generally accurate resource. An internet user has complete control over what kind of information he receives, but he must also be educated to the fact that there is a lot of "junk" information out there. The negative aspects of power and community spirit via the internet must be dealt with accordingly – with education that not everything out there is gospel.

2. Life on the internet is only one of two communities. The other community is the real world.

Yes, the internet has expanded into it’s own community. Chat rooms, book clubs, ebay, and other sites have drawn people with common interests together. How is this different from the physical community? The fact that we cannot see each other or speak to each other does not lessen the fact that the internet is a community in and of itself. However, a person must not allow himself to get sucked into what may be considered a false reality. The internet is a community, no doubt, but it cannot replace the fulfilling relationships of the physical community that surrounds us. The internet also poses threats of false identities. People can misrepresent themselves and lure unsuspecting individuals into dangerous situations. Caution and education protect internet users from falling into this kind of entrapment.

3. Stoll worries that "computers will deviously chew away at libraries from the inside."

I tend to disagree with this hysterical view of the internet’s relationship with libraries. There will, in my opinion, always be a substantial need for both the internet and libraries. The internet provides a rich, instant source of information and knowledge. However, the passion of a book enthusiast still lies in the ability to pick up a good book and curl up on the couch. Plus, the internet is a secondary source of information, but is limited when it comes to gathering information from primary resources. The library is still a necessity for this kind of information, especially in terms of researching ancient texts and works to gather new information.

4. "Watch any kid play Nintendo to sense the shallowness of computer games."

What destroys children’s minds faster: computers, videos, television, or reality? It is absurd to point the finger and blame computers for bringing a shallow life to our children. There are way too many other sources of a mindless existence: hours watching violent television, being raised by abusive guardians, or watching movie stars have sex, commit murder, and live dangerously. Do computer games hinder a child’s mind and creativity? Who am I to say? Many computer games are educational, enlightening, and foster creativity. Are these, too, shallow?

5. We depend too much on technology.