English Audio Request

Internet & Phone Dependence

Topic: More and more people today are becoming overly dependent on the internet and phones. Is this a positive or negative development?

Model answer:

The advent of smartphones has led to widespread internet addiction. Although this shift has its conveniences, it signals a decline in healthy activity.

Those who contend that the overall value of phones and the internet is a net positive can easily point to its versatility. The vast majority of people today would either reluctantly or enthusiastically admit they cannot live without their phones. If you are on a road trip or meeting a friend at a new cafe, you will need Google maps to find your way. The best method of booking a restaurant or researching online and offline businesses is through Facebook. All that only touches the surface of what the internet allows for ranging from sending emails, trading stocks online, posting on social media, to binge watching videos on streaming sites.

Despite the pile of advantages listed above, phones and the internet take up more time than they merit. The reason for this is that people get stuck in feedback loops, exchanging their time for momentary bursts of dopamine, no different from any other drug addict. Before the internet an individual might waste time watching television but still engage in a greater proportion of healthy habits like hanging out with friends, reading books, making art, exercising or taking up another worthwhile hobby. The healthy rush from those activities is chemically identical to scrolling through an algorithm mindlessly. The only distinction is that some distractions have more value in terms of physical and mental health than others.

In conclusion, the ubiquity of an internet living in your pocket has led to a decrease in engagement with healthy activities. In order to remedy this, people must take it on themselves to break their dependence as no government will ever regulate this drug properly.