The Technological Era
In the last couple of months, our world turned upside down. Not only pandemic speaking, but also as a society; social equality revendications are at their high all around the globe. Another major event is also occurring right now, yet it looks like nobody is giving it enough attention. Before this drastic year, cyberspace was gaining territory in our lives. Today, in September 2020, it has taken a whole new turn.
Quarantine has brought a totally new dimension of cyberspace. Technology is everywhere: online classes; remote working; doing video conferences with loved ones, especially those at risk; online shopping; drinks with friends via Zoom, and online workout sessions.
My point is that a couple of months ago, we would have never thought of doing such things. Nowadays, human connections are almost inexistent. You do not believe me? Well, it has been a month since classes have begun, and I have not once seen three-quarters of my classmates. How crazy is that?
Like it was said before, it destroys human interactions. People do not know how to initiate a conversation with a stranger, since most interactions happen via cellphones. I do not know about you, but it annoys me a lot when I speak to someone who is on their phone.
Social media also made our lives very public. A stranger can know everything about us in an instant by just looking at our posts.
It has also been proven that social media lowers people’s self-esteem. They see what others do and they feel like their life is a complete mess. Comparing what others do, their wealth, and their beauty is destroying people’s confidence. This is not normal, and the worst part is that many of those overly optimistic posts are a scam, a distortion of reality. With today’s truth, many individuals are offended by seeing wealthy people complain about being quarantined in their mansions, creating big controversies.
But obviously, cyberspace has its pros, much like everything else in this world.
Social media lets us communicate with people across the world, from Germany to Australia, for instance. It lets individuals interact with people they would have never met in the real world; it breaks off barriers. In other words, it connects people. Something so important, especially today. Being quarantined is already hard; being isolated from the world is another thing. We can say that cyberspace has made life a little bit more bearable.
The Internet is also beneficial in an academic aspect. Let us be honest, none of us could hand in an essay without first consulting the Internet, a now-vital resource.
Most importantly, it permits passing important messages on a larger scale. A very contemporary example is the Black Lives Matter movement. The video of the white policeman suffocating African American George Floyd went viral around the planet. It makes people aware of the racial discrimination that is still taking place in the United States of America. Social media is a precious tool when used properly.
To conclude, cyberspace has taken over and is leading us into a new era. Depending on how it is used, it can provide beneficial contributions to society, but it can also destroy it.
By Camila Lewandowski
