“Affect and emotion in extremist discourse” by CREST Research is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

During the first millennium A.D., it is said that the oldest printing press was invented in China. A printing press is a tool/device that was used to spread information, by books, newspapers, and pamphlets, which allowed people to communicate with others and get educated. However, in modern day, the Internet is a new form of communication; is an extensive network of networks. It has allowed people to communicate and get information in just seconds. For example, I use it to provide useful information and knowledge for my social, education, personal, and economic development.

A positive aspect about using the Internet is having to be able to communicate with people from whatever distance. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the closure of schools around the world. To continue like this, students and teachers had to adapt to new types of learning while respecting the safety policies of the prevention of the spread of the virus. Therefore, the solution was to use a video conferencing software, like Zoom, where individuals were allowed to “choose to record sessions, collaborate on projects, and share or annotate on one another’s screens” productively face-to-face while meeting in-person isn’t viable. It is thanks to Eric Yuan, CEO and founder of Zoom, and UNESCO for launching “a Global Education Coalition to support countries in scaling up their best distance learning” and help “implement innovative and context-sensitive solutions to provide education remotely”. 

However, the negative aspect of the usage of the Internet is that there’s no privacy, especially when it comes to gossip and politics. Plus, there’s so much data and information which can get lost. Ultimately, it has made us inactive in a way that people no longer want to make the effort, such as in physical activity. In addition, the Internet can impact our mental health as well, due to social media. It is a fact that social media puts a lot of social pressure on young teenagers and adults which can lead to depression, cyberbullying, suicidal ideation, low self-esteem, the need for approval, and etc.

Honestly, yes, I can live without the Internet, because for a while I have been feeling like I’m too consumed in it and it made me feel discontent about how I look (low self-esteem) due to social media standards. Every now and then, I would avoid those specific posts and instead, search for comics, drawings, and illustrations made by creative people. On the other hand, I can’t live without the Internet, because I tend to use it everyday now since I like to be connected with my family and friends, use it for the university, and binge watch “Friends” and anime series.

Here is one of my favorite artists, Pascal Campion, which conveys deep stories that can make one think and appreciate certain aspects of life. Specifically, on how to always take a break although your situation seems rough at the moment and to never give up when things don’t go as you planned them.

A huge part of what I often see on Instagram are time-lapse photography. It fascinates me every time how only a camera can capture such majestic moments of life and no matter how many times you play it, it always looks aesthetically pleasing to watch.

If you ever feel stressed out and want to unwind from a horrible day, then search no further, because here is a YouTube channel where all your problems will go away in an instant and a high chance would make you want to move to the country. Liziqi’s videos are very inspiring. She is a women of many aspects, such as a chef, farmer, carpenter, tailor, furniture maker, and etc.