#2 Social Media and Egypt

Egypt has taken social media revolution to new heights when it shut down the Internet two weeks ago. The egyptian government battled to contain protests against President Hosni Mubarak who threw the country into an Internet black hole in hopes to curb political unrest. This took the world by storm as we wonder what the future of the Internet will be in times of political turbulence. Deadly protests also show the strong influences of social media, namely Facebook and Twitter, on the lives of people, and the lack of it stirring up much unhappiness in this Internet competent age.

The impact of social media is so profound, that although access to the Internet had been denied, citizens of Egypt still managed to tap on uncensored Internet and Satellite television to organize nationwide protests. Ongoing revolts over the last two weeks made President Mubarak succumb to overwhelming pressure, and ordered for the reactivation of the Internet, which again, made headlines on today's newspapers.

We can see from this that unless brainwashed (ref: the people of North Korea), the Internet has become a necessity to us, for the best and worst reasons. Social media has not only provided us with a huge platform for participating in news debates, and social interaction, it also increased the marketability of goods and services online, which aids tremendously to our convenience. Instead of the grocer being a stone's throw away, it has become a click away, and in all irony, turns tables around and condemns the issue. We then begin to wonder if too much of a good thing can really lead to a bad thing, and that social media has suddenly made us socially impaired-- We only possess the ability to communicate adeptly online.

In the case of President Mubarak, he was more concerned about the fact that people can discuss political issues online (just as how they ramble incessantly about the new celebrity in town), and disrupt current autocratic dynamics between him and his country, which made him call for the Internet shut down in the first place. This shows that the advantages of the Social Media offsets the disadvantages. Yes, there could be credit card fraud and identity thefts and they are increasing in number. However, there hadn't been uproars of protests about that issue unlike how Egypt lost possession of free speech through the closure of the Internet. For obvious reasons, we have evolved into a world of technology and confiscating technology will only spark off riots.

Luckily for the Egyptians, their Internet service has been resurrected from the dead and they no longer have to revisit stone age... at least for now.

#1: Introductory Entry- The Internet and how it influenced me

I was one of those kids who spent hours in front of the television, and suddenly, Spongebob Sqaurepants was my new best friend. 3.p.m, a timely slot after school where I was in the lap of luxury, watching my favourite cartoon in the comfort of my living room. You see, it was very easy to satisfy a nine-year-old in the past (apart from the evening pandemonium where the family gathers around the T.V set and fights over which programme to watch) because there were not many tools to work with in the first place. The only thing I fiddled with was a remote control. Hand it over, and immediately, you could hear a pin drop. In today's age and time however, television alone, will not suffice.

With the advent of the Internet and particularly Web 2.0 functions, television, the most elementary form of entertainment has been revolutionized. The median age where children are exposed to the Internet is evidently decreasing too. My virgin experience with the Internet, was at the age of twelve, and already, I thought it was commendable that I was chatting with my classmates on MSN, although our conversations frequently revolved around the same topic. "Study for PSLE already or not ah?"

Months ago, when my relatives came to visit, I saw my seven year old cousin surfing the net with so much ease, it looked as if she was writing her name. The ironic thing is, some seven-year-olds cannot even spell their names properly, yet are well equipped with the basic skills of web navigation. The mastery of the Internet could be easier than the mastery of the English Language itself. To think we thought the Internet was a complex pool of functions. Apparently not. It then flashes in your face, the cliche line from Martha Stewart or Rachel Ray. "If my cousin can do it, so can you!"

The Internet definitely made things more of an option than a choice in the following context. Hardly do we say "there was nothing interesting on T.V so I had no choice but to watch the documentary on the elephant giving birth to her child." In fact, we have so many options that we are often overwhelmed by them. The variety of television programmes made it possible for me to watch shows that would not have otherwise been aired on local television. I can also watch a full season of How I Met Your Mother in a day without having to be kept in suspense.

Online shopping has also never been more convenient than it is today, as we are able to make purchases in less than five clicks of the mouse. Without the Internet, sellers of online boutiques would be like people who lay mats along the roadside and take off immediately when they see a policeman on patrol. However, because the Internet is a public domain, anyone can be an entrepreneur without having to pay for rental costs, and the catch is.. they are able to sell products at a reasonable yet profitable price. It is thus a win-win situation for sellers and buyers, and a more attainable platform for budding entrepreneurs, or even fashionistas who want to clear their bursting wardrobe.

These are just two of the many examples on how people have become such Internet addicts. The question is, will people become so reliant on the Internet that they eventually feel handicapped without it?