Opinion

Use internet wisely

Use internet wisely

By SUGAM GAUTAM

Illustration: Ratna Sagar Shrestha/THT

People say the future of the country is in the hands of the youth. It certainly is. What shape the nation will take after ten years from now solely depends on where the young people will lead it. Today’s children will be doctors, engineers, politicians, actors and sportspersons someday. So it is not only important for the youth but also for the whole nation to see to it that young people are engaging themselves in something productive. But the question is, are the Nepali youth concerned about their and nation’s future? Young people, these days, are seen distracted from what they are supposed to do. It is not a good sign for their future and the country, too. No one is left untouched by the internet, and youths are no exception. In fact, young people are the biggest consumers of the internet. Ten years back, the technology was not as advanced as it is today. Now, from teenagers to old-aged people, everyone has access to smartphones and the internet. Retired and established people can also spend much time on the internet as they don’t have to worry about their career. But a young person, who has to build a future, can’t afford to while away time on unproductive things. Most of the young people in Nepal are seen playing online games, which do not contribute to enhancing their creativity. Girls are especially addicted to Tiktok, Instagram and similar other apps. Young people are killing their precious time engaging in such fun things, which they could have utilised on other creative things. Using the internet and smartphones is not bad, but its misuse can lead to unhealthy consequences in the future. Constant hours on the tiny screen will kill your motivation and energy. Also, spending long hours watching stupid stuff day after day dulls your cognitive brain. The human brain has two areas—cognitive and emotional. When you watch junk, the cognitive brain disengages and is used less. As a result, you cannot think, reason or argue logically. While talking about the positive aspect of the internet, it has helped many enthusiasts with everything they wanted to learn from the virtual platform. Even schools and colleges in Nepal are now teaching using the virtual method due to the coronavirus pandemic. For people who try to learn new things, the internet is the best platform as all it requires is internet connectivity and a phone. So young people should now give up their phones for entertainment purposes and switch them on for something productive. It’s the young who have to work now.