IS THE INTERNET YOUR WEAPON OR TOOL?
By cjcsimmons
WHAT ARE YOU USING THE INTERNET FOR?
Yesterday I was looking on the internet and suddenly had and epiphany. I had noticed on one of the Social Media sites, that there was some drama going on between people. I thought to myself why would anyone use the internet for that? I started to ponder the thought of what it is that people are using the internet for. There are so many possiblities in the internet that I think most people don't even realize. Even though the internet is not something new, it still is for a lot of people. How they use it to their advantage or disadvantage is what astounds me. Is it a tool or a weapon?
Let's say you're using the internet to go on Social Media sites to stay connected with family and friends that live far away. You can exchange email, and share pictures, you can use your webcam to see each other and conversate. What a wonderful tool. Over the holidays you can send ecards, no more postage. You can pay your bills and never leave your home. Are there different types of tools within the internet itself? You could imagine it as if your hand were a tool extended out to family far away to stay connected. Or as a car to get you to a place to pay your bills, but no gas is required. People who have figured out that the internet is a tool are very smart people. Later in this article I will talk about other tools used or not used on the internet and just how smart or not these people are.
Now, with every good thing it seems as though there has to be some bad thing somewhere close behind it. That would be the person that feels the internet is their weapon. As wonderful as the internet is and all the good things that have come from it, there is the dark side of the internet. For those who choose to use it as a weapon against others, or to do the works of hurting others. We have all heard stories of sick and evil people using the internet for their own personal attacks of others, and preying on others. I don't care if it is the woman(pretending to be a young boy) who was lying to a young girl on a Social Media site that caused the young girl so much stress that she commited suicide. Or these sick child predetors that seek out young children and prey upon them. Then there are family members and freinds that use the internet as a weapon to have open air arguments online. Or teens bad mouthing each other for whatever dumb reason, cheating boyfreinds, and girlfriends. Or rivals from dfferent schools or towns. The internet is a weapon for all of these people. They sit in privacy and think what they are doing is okay, no one can see them, then they click the send button for the whole world to see.
When will people realize that they sitting in front of this black box that has the potential to change their life? FOR THE GOOD OR THE BAD. Did they choose tool or weapon?
ASK THIS QUESTION
IF I HAD ACCESS TO A GOLD MINE AND SOMEONE GAVE ME A JACK HAMMER AND TOLD ME I COULD GO IN AND GET AS MUCH AS I WANTED WOULD I GO?
I said earilier I would talk about other tools on the internet.
If your answer to the question was yes, then the internet is your gold mine, and you are the jack hammer.
Let's imagine your are at a real gold mine. You are sitting outside of it, you see people are going in and coming out with gold, it's obvious it is a true gold mine. You ask, the question of them, how are you doing that, can I have some? Some of them may share a little of their gold with you, but that well will run dry. Others will offer to teach how to get all the gold you want and that will continue on a lifetime for your taking.
ASK THIS QUESTION
WHAT IS A HANDOUT, AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
If you break the word down it is exactly what it says. A hand out! If I put my hand out with the palm up, I want you to give me something, right? A handout. Like gold, if you want a handout then you will have a hard time getting gold. Mining for gold is work, but what you reap from it is gold.
Stop reading for just a second and look at your computer screen- I'll wait.
Probably looks like most computer screens, right? A square box with black around the edges.
Look closer.
Have you really looked inside, or are you just looking around?
You have access to gold, you have the same opportunity as eveyone else.
What are you using it for, a tool or a weapon?
ASK THE QUESTION
CAN I MINE FOR GOLD WITH THE INTERNET?
The answer is a simple YES YOU CAN!
The bigger question is DO YOU WANT TO? DO YOU HAVE THE DESIRE?
Is the answer still a simple yes? If so, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
I can give you the jack hammer, you have to go in the mine and dig.
I wish you all the luck and gold in the world
Cynthia
Comments
Thank you for the beautiful comment, you are so right I guess it's the old saying "Can't we all just get along?"
You teach a valuable lesson. The internet IS a gold mine and our conduct here can positively save lives or have terrible consequences. I have a friend that does background checks and these days it is not only possible to do background checks based based on court verdicts but subscribers to some sites can probe into the motions and discoveries of cases that have NEVER even gone to trial. Companies will collect evidence of personal use by employees using company computers. In the event an employee is stalked, assaulted, or raped at the company, the company will not only seek to find activity to paint the accuser in a bad light on a worker's computer but also seek to uncover any internet-related activity the accuser taken part in in his or her entire life. Even if such activity is completely innocuous, like a humorous response to a lewd request made many months before an employee was even hired, lawyers will use it if only to get a prospectve jury laughing, and pliable. The internet is a wonderful tool but in the hands of the wrong group, can ruin lives.
Dominique Teng 2 years ago
Thank you for this article Cynthia. You have touched few aspects of the Internet here. The social media is one of them and we can count Hubpages with its forums here as well.
Just like you I was appalled to see what people actually do to one another in an open cyberspace. Consider Beliefnet, for instance. It is a forum for people of all creeds and atheists as well. Those who created it probably hoped that we will all get along, but this is not the case. Verbally violent discussion are carried on just like in the media. Sites like Facebook are not free from the verbally violent political or religious dispute as well. People use such sites to offend others and to push their own agenda. No one is really genuinely interested in what other person is saying, unless you agree with them. Civilized discussions are not possible. Moreover, many people are not even interested in what you have to say, but want to share their own stuff.
Internet is a great place to share knowledge and experience. It is a great place to make money if you know how. It is a great place to rip others off, as well. The innate criminality of some people is flourishing here almost unpunished. And yet, many people find here what they have been looking for. They find partners or make money and come out of debt.
Our entire society is reflected in the Internet. You see ugliness and stupidity just as much as you see wisdom and beauty.