Pros and Cons of the Internet Essay Example

How often do you use the internet? Do you think it is good for you or bad for you? In the article,  Johnson writes about how the rise of the Internet has actually helped our society. His thesis states that’s the Internet has challenged our minds in three ways: it has made us more participatory, it teaches us new platforms, and it makes us more social. Based on my own experience, I disagree with Johnson.

One reason I disagree with Johnson is because the Internet actually makes us less participatory. Johnson argues that “the networked computer makes you lean in, focus, engage, while the television encourages you to zone out” (120).  He’s saying that when one is on the computer, they are actually participating more than they are if they are watching TV. I disagree with this because I constantly see people who are on the Internet, and they are completely zoned out. this shows that when people are on the Internet, they are just as zoned out as when they watch TV; therefore, their minds are not being challenged.

Another reason I disagree with Johnson is because the Internet actually makes us less social. Johnson claims that “new social networking applications […] are augmenting our people skills as well, widening our social networks, and creating new possibilities for strangers to share ideas and experiences” (122). While this might be the case, it leaves people who are looking at these sites totally oblivious to the “real” people around them. Thus, making them less social in real world experiences. Because of these social-interactions online, people are no longer challenged to meet the people right in front of them. 

Overall, the Internet may be challenging us, but at what cost to our real world experiences? When one lives in the virtual world “participating” and “socializing,” are they letting real life pass them by?