The 21st century: the time to be alive! Major breakthroughs in science, technology, medicine, and just about any field that comes to mind. The rise of AI, self-driving vehicles, space-exploration…we are living in the era of change. Humanity is at the brink of colossal success in all major fields; a step towards true greatness. But at what price? The speed at which we are advancing, technology is gradually conquering the world, impacting all generations. We are becoming dependant on the net, but is that bad? Or is this is a step in the right direction? Are we approaching the beginning of the end?

Media has an influence on practically everyone’s life. From morning to evening, interactions with media have become a routine. Checking messages first thing in the morning, to ending the day with a good night message again, our lives revolve around basically everything related to the internet. We are no longer self-sustaining creatures. But that isn’t something to be concerned about. Our dependance on the ‘beauties of the net’ isn’t necessarily a flaw of our civilisation; it could be a strength.

However, it’s important to remember there are two sides to every coin. Some may believe that our interactions with media and technology are a step in the right direction, whereas others may be convinced that the rise of AI and breakthroughs in technology will lead to our detriment. Who is correct? And whose side are you on? In this article, I will try to approach both sides of the story, and by the end, share my personal opinion on the matter. Because one thing is for certain, media is going to continue to heavily influence our lives, it’s up to us on how we choose to embrace it.

Let’s start by discussing currently the most profound conversation regarding this topic; the rise of AI.

Artificial Intelligence – the beginning of a new world

A decade ago, who would have thought we would see such times? AI models like ChatGPT have taken the world by a storm with their mind-blowing capabilities. Their abilities are mesmerising, and extremely frightening. And this is just the beginning; we have only scratched the surface of this unexplored territory. It has been roughly 40 years since the internet first came to life…just imagine the events that can potentially unfold in the coming 4 decades. The development of AI has reached a point where people are concerned that it will take over humanity. In fact, tech leaders like Elon Musk and the co-founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak, have signed a petition to halt the training of more powerful AI systems.

Here is a snippet of the power of ChatGPT…

Such models have immense potential to benefit us. For example, ChatGPT and its seemingly unlimited knowledge can be used for a variety of purposes like getting sample essays to starter code for a project. You can literally learn valuable skills/tricks from the language model. On the contrary, this AI beast can be exploited in obvious negative ways as well. People are also concerned about the possibility of such models reaching a point in the future where they will be able to replace several jobs.

I personally believe that we should approach AI and models like ChatGPT with a sense of optimism for what’s to come. The amount of avenues that can be created by this technology are phenomenal. In addition, such developments will also be effective for our personal usage.

Social media – addiction or distraction from our troubles?

In today’s landscape, there will only be a small percentage of the population that is not a frequent social media user. Our phones are filled with platforms and apps we use often. Upon reflection, are apps like Instagram and WhatsApp a distraction from a stressful world, or an addiction we can’t get away from? For many people, it’s an addiction, a problem they sometimes may not know they have. For others, social media is a way to get away from their hectic daily schedules and take some time to relax.

It just depends on individuals and how they interact with such platforms. Drawing a line on the usage of social media is vital. A good way to start is to find out how much time you are currently spending on the app (it will appear in the settings section), and set a limit for your usage. You can also set a time limit on the social media app, which when exceeded, you will recieve an alert.

“Everything should be done with moderation and using common sense”

A wise person

Expert opinion

The issue of our uncontrolled interaction with various forms of media is a predominant conversation. Getting different perspectives is extremely important.

Jaspreet Sethi is an educator and founder at Hattennoki. She has very kindly shared her insightful and thought-provoking opinion on this subject with us.

Just as scientific knowledge has been exploited to create life-saving vaccines as well as life-annihilating weapons of mass destruction, use and impact of media can both be fruitful as well as infertile. Judicious consumption of worthy material such as factual content and news can improve one’s level of understanding of the world around us. However, improved cognition does not translate to empathy. The disadvantages of irresponsible use will result in unsolicited and even dangerous outcomes such as bullying, desensitization, social isolation, addiction, misinformation, misrepresentation, and distorted and adulterated facts leading to polarization. Therefore, alternative mechanisms such as reading, mind-body-soul exercises, mindfulness, digital detoxification prioritizing offline activities such as spending time connecting with humans and nature, maintaining a study/work-life balance, and turning off all unnecessary notifications should be in place to keep a check on our extent of media consumption and utilization. 

Jaspreet Sethi, Founder, Hattennoki

Video Games – net positive or negative?

As per the National Institutes of Health, “Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children”. Whereas gamequitters claim that “Studies show that excessive gaming can lead to poor emotional regulation”. Two sides to every coin. And, everything should be done with moderation and using common sense.

The study suggests that experiences of competence and social connection with others through play may contribute to people’s well-being. Indeed, those who derived enjoyment from playing were more likely to report experiencing positive well-being

Professor Andy Przybylski, Director of Research at the Oxford Internet Institute.

From a personal standpoint, gaming isn’t all that harmful. It really can be a stress-buster, allowing you to take a break from your busy life. The adrenaline rush from playing with friends is unparalleled. However, this may only be the case when gaming is a part of your work week. Playing video games on weekends for an hour or two, after finishing your work¸ feels rewarding and satisfying. Making your gaming sessions a way to reward yourself for your hard work, instead of trying to feel rewarded from the video games itself, is not necessarily a bad thing. Moderation is key.

To Conclude…

Technology is our reality now. Without a shadow of doubt, the future holds unbelievable technological advancements, that will continue to drastically change the entire world. It is possible these developments will undermine existing human capabilities, and A LOT of people may feel anxious and skeptical. But it’s a hard reality we need to accept, because it is created to help us, not replace us.

We need to fully embrace technological developments, most prominently in AI. This will enable us to maximise our potential. I strongly believe that we should use these new inventions to our benefit; work with them instead of being scared of them. As far as our interactions with other forms of media is concerned such as social media and gaming…

everything done with moderation, using common sense, empathy and time-management will ensure constructive use.