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General Internet Addiction

On average how much time do you spend recieving electronic information? (TV+Internet)

  • 0-2 hours

    Votes: 2 16.7%
  • 2-3 hours

    Votes: 3 25.0%
  • 3-4 hours

    Votes: 1 8.3%
  • 4-5 hours

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 5-6 hours

    Votes: 1 8.3%
  • 6 or more hours

    Votes: 5 41.7%

  • Total voters
    12
Good day ‘citizens’ of SPN,

There is something about a conversation that is much more harmonious than an Internet conversation. We hardly participate in descriptive writing when we are trying to write a post quickly. Body language, touch and tone/frequency of the message are all lost over an electronic medium. This leads to greater misunderstanding of personal viewpoints and arguments. It also leads to something I call “impersonalization”. It leads to a state of mind where the people having the conversation/argument have no personal reference or connection to the person they are speaking too. Thus it can be alienating as well.

However there are some technologies that have the potential to revolutionize and correct this fallibility. However, they will not be widespread any time soon.
ASIDE: some newer technologies might help us in the near time future. Telepresence is a revolutionary new technology straight from science fiction novels. HERE HAVE LOOK:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=rcfNC_x0VvE

My point is; the Internet is just what our wandering minds are suited for. Shortened attention spans crave the google search button. Internet addiction is the sad outcome. More and more people are spending more and more time online. When we are online, conversing with people, we should be weary not only about what we say, but how we say it, and most importantly HOW OFTEN WE SAY IT.


My question is:
How wired is this young Sikh community?

And does the teachings of the Guru’s in any way make us more or less dependant on the Internet? How does the Sikh community ferry against other religious groups in terms of online time?

How much time do you spend online?
How much time do you spend on SPN?

Although the subject itself is personal, I think it should be addressed. The Internet in some cases may become a serious impediment to the development of our psyche. The more time we spend communicating through electronic channels the less time we have communicating through face to face contact (the more we distance ourselves from real world scenario’s and environments). The more time we spend online the less time we have talking face to face with immediate family.

So how much time do you spend ‘online’?

This includes time spent on:
Messaging (emails/ text messaging on cell phone or through messenger)
Surfing the Internet for fun and leisure
Researching on the Net for gathering work or school related information (include the amount of time you drift off to do something else online)
How much streamlined video you watch? (this includes television)
Do you enjoy online gambling?
Do you enjoy online gaming?


The Internet is undoubtedly a very powerful tool. The world is literally at your fingertips. You will be bombarded with monumental amounts of information; overwhelming yourself can be easy.

My advice to everyone is, if it is not work related spend no more than 2 hours a day online. If your work requires you to be connected, try reducing what I call “drift time” (the time not spent actually performing the task at hand). Also on your days off, pledge to yourself that you will not turn on a computer screen, AND FOLLOW THROUGH (this is a very difficult task for some…even I had a hard time at first).


Getting caught up in a debate on this website is tiresome. While typing away responses, we can sometime watch the clock fast-track and burn half an hour with ease. (I just did it typing and putting together this post).

Internet addiction although may seem trivial at first may become more serious. It is not synonymous with substance abuse because it shows little correlation with depression and it is not visible and kept quite. It can target anyone.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vMhTtjAzgOA

How addicted are you? Well answer these honestly and you will find out:
http://www.netaddiction.com/resources/internet_addiction_test.htm


PS: As an SPN member, I don’t think we should reward people on “who has the most posts” on this site. Or who got the “the highest score” knocking around a ball on a computer screen. I think it only adds to the problem. (take note “arcade master”)...lol


cheers,

surf safe, have fun, but don’t overdo it. Everything in Moderation.
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
Sinisterj i

You are right!!!!!!!

S: As an SPN member, I don’t think we should reward people on “who has the most posts” on this site. Or who got the “the highest score” knocking around a ball on a computer screen. I think it only adds to the problem. (take note “arcade master”)...lol

But some of are on the Internet doing things for work in the early morning. Are on the Internet during working hours. Then come home and do more work on the Internet. And we sneak over to SPN for a break or to learn about Sikhism or just be plain ornery. We shouldn't be rewarded either. We are losing our eyesight and damaging our spines.
 

kds1980

SPNer
Apr 3, 2005
4,502
2,743
43
INDIA
The amount of time a person spends on internet depends on his/her personal life
I don't think spending time on internet is wrong.It is much better
than watching T.V., gossiping with people,reading newspaper etc

Internet is one of the best way to learn whatever you want
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
kds ji

Neither do I. It also depends on what you use the Internet for. The Internet is a gold-mine if you know where to look. An education.
 
The amount of time a person spends on internet depends on his/her personal life
I don't think spending time on internet is wrong.It is much better
than watching T.V., gossiping with people,reading newspaper etc

Internet is one of the best way to learn whatever you want


Well, lets all be genuine to ourselves for a moment. If your alternatives to the internet is watching tv, gossiping and reading the newspaper then your better off on the net.

The Internet IS a fantastic place to learn new things!

BUT

It is not the only place. There are some things you cannot learn on the internet.

It cannot and should not be a place where we substitute our existing world with a virtual one. There is something about staring into a computer screen, burning my retina away, that I find particularly horrifying.

A computer cannot hug you. It doesn’t love you. Its expressionless. It emotionless. It doesn’t let off a warm smile or a laugh; like the beautiful girl next door does when you tell her your favourite joke. Life becomes empty and alienating if your primary means of communication to others is through this medium.

Spend time watching a sunset, watch the clouds roll by when your at a picnic with friends or family, star gaze with a telescope at night…. Staring into a computer screen will never give you the same feeling of euphoria.

Look at the grandness of the scheme and stand in awe whenever you have some leisure time. Meditate or do Yoga if you have to.

Participate by all means in debate, sports and dining with friends/family. Participate in discourse on the internet as well. But if you are spending 20+ hours a week of your leisure time on a computer (not work related) then you might want to cut back. It is simply not healthy (mentally and physically).


And remember:
The CD is never as good as the live symphony
 

kds1980

SPNer
Apr 3, 2005
4,502
2,743
43
INDIA
Well, lets all be genuine to ourselves for a moment. If your alternatives to the internet is watching tv, gossiping and reading the newspaper then your better off on the net.

The Internet IS a fantastic place to learn new things!

BUT

It is not the only place. There are some things you cannot learn on the internet.

It cannot and should not be a place where we substitute our existing world with a virtual one. There is something about staring into a computer screen, burning my retina away, that I find particularly horrifying.

A computer cannot hug you. It doesn’t love you. Its expressionless. It emotionless. It doesn’t let off a warm smile or a laugh; like the beautiful girl next door does when you tell her your favourite joke. Life becomes empty and alienating if your primary means of communication to others is through this medium.

Spend time watching a sunset, watch the clouds roll by when your at a picnic with friends or family, star gaze with a telescope at night…. Staring into a computer screen will never give you the same feeling of euphoria.

Look at the grandness of the scheme and stand in awe whenever you have some leisure time. Meditate or do Yoga if you have to.

Participate by all means in debate, sports and dining with friends/family. Participate in discourse on the internet as well. But if you are spending 20+ hours a week of your leisure time on a computer (not work related) then you might want to cut back. It is simply not healthy (mentally and physically).


And remember:
The CD is never as good as the live symphony


Well its a personal issue why someone is doing internet.We can ask 100 questions to people that instead of this someone should do this or instead of that someone should do that.
 
Now members, listen up;

Try this one simple thing. Turn off your computer on the weekend and don’t turn it on for 2 days! If you have trouble performing this simple task then you might be addicted.

I find it difficult sometimes, when I’m not busy, not to turn on my computer.

An addict pushing a computers power button is synonymous with a smoker lighting a cigarette. They are both done unconsciously. They are both addicted. One relieves anxiety through the smoke the other through fiber optic channels (the latter is just health-wise more harmful than the former). (some also relieve stress and anxiety through food)

THE DISTINCTIONS:
SPN is not a standard website to learn off (as you would from a book). WHY? BECAUSE ….It talks back to you. It’s a chat room. Each member has his own unique little virtually constructed personality that they project onto other members. And it has become a community of opinions surfing around on some server in virtual space.

For those of you averaging more than 1 post a day…try this….don’t log in for an entire week? Can you succeed?

Although I am not averaging one post a day… I will participate…I will write back to everyone in one week….wish me luck!

I am going to give it a try…..and will provide SPN members on how much my life changed over the course of the week…due to my lack of participation on SPN. (for better or for worse...i shall keep a diary)

Starting

NOW!
 

Archived_Member_19

(previously amarsanghera, account deactivated at t
SPNer
Jun 7, 2006
1,323
145
i have done this a couple of times...not accessing internet for a few days...and it works..

first few hours seem frustrating but second and later days are wonderful... :)
 

drkhalsa

SPNer
Sep 16, 2004
1,308
54
SINISTER !

Thats a Great Post and great Idea!

I was also thinking on ot and your post can prove to be trigger point

Yes I am Addicted for sure and I want to cut it down
Its very difficult to do that also I know , its like changing your lifestyle .
I cant live without computer and internet as per now .This is quite evident from my recent experience when my Internet provider was Down and I thought I will keep away from it and save lot of time

But this never happened , Uncounciously I made some choices which eventually landed me in front of computer again ( at one of my freinds place ) when I just realised that I gain didi my best to stay way but failed as again I was checking my email on Phone browser and checking stoch index as well

So All in all it is very addictive as for me , Although I use it for mostly ( 70 - 80 % ) constuctive work but stillI believ its not healthy and I am gona change it
20 per week is good idea i will make a tight schedule and lts see what happens

Thanks again for the good post and initiative

Jatinder Singh
 
Well there you have… one week without internet (well honestly it was just 5 days because I had to receive an email in between by break).


Anyways, it works wonders. Never felt more alive and well off. I recommend trying it when you are on vacation… I will continue as long as my holidays don’t run out…then sadly I will need the internet.

What happened over the course of the weeks:

1) Read a book ( I got through the ‘kite runner’ and ‘theatre of the mind by Jay Ingram”….both exceptional reads)
2) I’m in better physical shape than before because I started to spend more time at the gym.
3) My sleep improved (remarkably)… I guess I was absorbing less information per day…hehe
4) I found myself…happier?
5) I found myself doing things that I would usually leave others to do for me…overall I became more productive.
6) Got to finally clean out and repaint the basement (my overall productivity increased)


7) I also found myself drinking a bit more…but that must be because of all the social festivities that happen around this time of year… but nonetheless it was still moderate.
8) I was missing out on current events and the political talk that I use to pick up on the net and found myself changing the subjects in social scenario’s that involved talking politics. (which was weird…my friends usually call me the political pundit…but that title was lost this year… oh well … never really liked that title anyways)


So there you have it…. Positives and some negatives. Fair and balanced
But overall I had a great experience and will definitely try this again!
It enriched my life on a greatly. Got to spend a lot more time with family and friends (well at least in the physical sense…or on the phone)

Cheers
 
SINISTER !

Thats a Great Post and great Idea!

I was also thinking on ot and your post can prove to be trigger point

Yes I am Addicted for sure and I want to cut it down
Its very difficult to do that also I know , its like changing your lifestyle .
I cant live without computer and internet as per now .This is quite evident from my recent experience when my Internet provider was Down and I thought I will keep away from it and save lot of time

But this never happened , Uncounciously I made some choices which eventually landed me in front of computer again ( at one of my freinds place ) when I just realised that I gain didi my best to stay way but failed as again I was checking my email on Phone browser and checking stoch index as well

So All in all it is very addictive as for me , Although I use it for mostly ( 70 - 80 % ) constuctive work but stillI believ its not healthy and I am gona change it
20 per week is good idea i will make a tight schedule and lts see what happens

Thanks again for the good post and initiative

Jatinder Singh

Hello Jatinder,

Glad you liked the post, I just thought it was long overdue on this website

YES I know how it feels...you think you cannot do without it for the first day or two....but then you start to realize how silly the internet really is...and oddly, after the second day I found myslef avoiding the internet. You start to look at it with objectivity and realize that life beyond it is much richer in information.

cheers
 

drkhalsa

SPNer
Sep 16, 2004
1,308
54
I just spent 6 days off the internet and it was fine !

and yes its very benifical to be on internet for lesser time
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
drkhalsa,

Good to know that you are OK and that things are fine. I was beginning to worry. Or maybe you had left for a medical residency and had not hooked back up with us.

Happy New Year
 

drkhalsa

SPNer
Sep 16, 2004
1,308
54
Dear aad ji

Thanks for the concern !

I have gained a lot through internet and this forum especially so really cant stay off it

Happy New Year and I hope you had a nice Christmas!!!
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
drkhalsa ji

Thank you. My husband and I had a very warm and loving Christmas with my mother, sister, brothers, their wives, neices and nephew.

But better was what happened at the office Christmas party on December 18. Our dean, who is a Franciscan priest in the Roman church, gave a little speech. He wished us Merry Christmas, Happy Hanuka, Happy Diwale, Happy Kwansa. The he turned to me and said, What is it that you celebrate and that I cannot pronounce?

Very slowly I said -- "Gurpurab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Rai Maharaj, the 10th Guru." The next day he gave me a little box, all wrapped up, a present. And the gift card said "Happy Gurpurab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Rai Maharaj." He remembered it, and he spelled all correctly. And everyone there at that moment knew that I was practicing a completely different faith. If they wanted to know what was going on, they could ask him, or ask me, or look it up. So everyone at work found out easily, naturally. No big announcement or explanation needed. No big secret either.

Sorry Sinister ji for going off topic.
 

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