'Digital Times'

The Informality Analysis (Independent Articles)
Issue: 1 Article: 1
'Digital Times'
By: Justin Cassin
Sunday, October 12th, 2014 (2:00 a.m. Mountain Time)

      Most of us have thought once to ourselves in this digital era, "What would happen if the internet stopped working?" As we ask ourselves this question we have to remember that this day in age (1) nearly 3 billion people around the world use the internet to search information, use social networks, keep up with media, store personal information, play games, etc... What don't we use the net for these days? In America alone over 277 million people use the internet, in which (2) 80% of kids between ages 0-5 use the internet on a daily basis. Those numbers are incredibly high considering that Public Libraries do still currently reside in almost every neighborhood in major cities, and even rural areas all around America. In 2011 a survey was done (3) that explained the in-person visitation to Public Libraries has experienced a 2 year decrease of 3.9% which has been the first decline in 10 years. That goes to show that people are way more into the digital form of lifestyle in this day in age. After learning this, ask yourself the important question "When was the last time I visited the library, and do I own a library card?" If you answered yes then you most likely understand that there is middle ground between the internet and printed publications, and that is where I will be focusing in this discussion.

      The "Neanderthal" paperback and hardback concept has been taken over by the digital realm with products such as the kindle, e-books, iPads, etc... As a society run by technology what would we do if the internet as a whole...crashed one day? Most of us probably don't realize that a majority of the population would be in mass hysteria, and it could easily cause world chaos. Although, it wouldn't seem hard at all to continue our lives considering the internet is one of the biggest accommodations known to the public. It's definitely ironic that Public Libraries offer computer services and these days we pass it off as the norm almost like it's a necessity. It really wouldn't be much of a hassle to interact with one another via mail, by hand, face to face, phone, fax machines, etc...

      We all use the internet, yes, this is a fact. All generations of people either know how to operate the internet, or are learning how. It's not a bad thing to be a click away from hundreds and thousands of different subjects. Just choose a search engine, whether your on high-speed, mobile phone, or even dial-up, and there they are...a list of endless search results. That simple! When doing this keep in mind that one thing very questionable about using the internet for all of our information is credibility, and resources. As long as we are thorough with investigating where the information comes from then credibility is less of the focus. And most of us know that with books and documentation(s) this becomes a modest issue. In 2010 an American writer Nicholas Carr claimed that the internet is shaping our lives and physically altering our brains. It's a heavy claim but an ongoing debate continues (4) and is strongly discussed by writers and experts. This could easily be an under-rated breakthrough for us as a society to realize that this digital-ism could actually be doing this to our psyche.

      Here we are in 2014; our children get home from school and habitually ask us if they can use the internet for homework, to play games, socially interact, etc... A lot of us are using the net on our phones, computers, iPads, and other devices like it's an extra appendage.

      In conclusion, next time you think of using the internet, go to a Public Library near you and check out a couple of books...and the next time you think of checking out a couple of books, search them on the internet to see what it has to offer. But whatever you do, don't just explore one, use them both moderately and resourcefully. Most of all, don't forget your roots and how things were done before the age we live in today. Write a letter, make a phone call don't just simply text or email, give someone close to you a hug because those will be the memories that last forever.

© 2014 Justin Cassin (Albuquerque,NM)

Resources; (1.According to www.internetworldstats.com), (2.According to an article by Sarah Kessler posted in March 2011 on www.mashable.com), (3.Public Libraries In The United States Survey www.imls.gov), (4.Website address for discussion www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/aug/15/internet-brain-neuroscience-debate).