'The internet is responsible for the demise of reading and culture'.
Is a sentence I often hear uttered by so called opinion leaders and media people in Lebanon.
In many Arab countries too.
I do not understand the basis for these doom and gloom description of a medium that pen the world to the masses at an acceptable cost.
Your connection to the web gives you speedy access to information, remote learning, e-books, movies, and so much more.
True that social media has revamped the rules and methodologies of journalism, increased the culture of quick messaging and promoted speed over research and fact checks, but this is another discussion.
I will just talk about my own experience rather than studies and statistics.
I have always been a reader, my adoption of a Kindle and e-reading increased my access to books and more than tripled the number of books I read. I do not need to go physically to a bookshop to buy books so I can buy my books any time I have a free moments. E-books are cheaper than print editions. I can adjust the font to suit my vision which is such a positive factor for older people.
When I write report or papers or articles or prepare for a speech or research a subject I have available at the tip of my click a tremendous amount of information. It has made me more efficient and cut research time tremendously.
I can stay connected with my loved ones at almost no communication costs. It improved my social connectivity.
And the mentioned gains from connectivity are just the tip of the iceberg!
Clearly I do not understand people that blame the web for the demise of culture....
The web or the internet or ICT technologies, or whatever you want to call it, is just a tool that opened new doors and possibilities for us, how we use it and for what purpose is our choice.
So better that the so called Lebanese intelligentsia takes a deep look at the social roots of what they are complaining about. Maybe the education system? maybe the education culture? maybe the dissolution of the fabric of society.
Better introspect than to blame Godot.
Is a sentence I often hear uttered by so called opinion leaders and media people in Lebanon.
In many Arab countries too.
I do not understand the basis for these doom and gloom description of a medium that pen the world to the masses at an acceptable cost.
Your connection to the web gives you speedy access to information, remote learning, e-books, movies, and so much more.
True that social media has revamped the rules and methodologies of journalism, increased the culture of quick messaging and promoted speed over research and fact checks, but this is another discussion.
I will just talk about my own experience rather than studies and statistics.
I have always been a reader, my adoption of a Kindle and e-reading increased my access to books and more than tripled the number of books I read. I do not need to go physically to a bookshop to buy books so I can buy my books any time I have a free moments. E-books are cheaper than print editions. I can adjust the font to suit my vision which is such a positive factor for older people.
When I write report or papers or articles or prepare for a speech or research a subject I have available at the tip of my click a tremendous amount of information. It has made me more efficient and cut research time tremendously.
I can stay connected with my loved ones at almost no communication costs. It improved my social connectivity.
And the mentioned gains from connectivity are just the tip of the iceberg!
Clearly I do not understand people that blame the web for the demise of culture....
The web or the internet or ICT technologies, or whatever you want to call it, is just a tool that opened new doors and possibilities for us, how we use it and for what purpose is our choice.
So better that the so called Lebanese intelligentsia takes a deep look at the social roots of what they are complaining about. Maybe the education system? maybe the education culture? maybe the dissolution of the fabric of society.
Better introspect than to blame Godot.