By: Gregory Jany / 8B
– My dad’s Internet usage (per day): 1 x 7 / 7 = 1
– My mom’s Internet usage (per day): 1 x 7 / 7 = 1
– My Internet usage (per day): 3 x 7 / 7 = 3
– My brother’s Internet usage (per day): 2 x 7 / 7 = 2
– Per day :
(1+1+3+2) / 4 = 1.75 hours = 1.75 x 60 = 105 minutes = 1 hour and 45 minutes
– Per month:
1.75 x 30 days = 52.5 hours
52.5 hours = 52 hours and 30 minutes = 2 days, 4 hours and 30 minutes
– Per year = 52.5 x 12 = 630 hours = 26 days and 6 hours
– Cost per month = Rp. 350.000, –
– Cost per year = 350.000 x 12 = Rp. 4.200.000, –
How does my family view the Internet usage?
My family views the Internet usage as a neccessity, which already became a practice in our family’s daily life. We believe that the Rp. 4.200.000 price tag for the annual Internet usage is not too high since it provides fast Internet connection and our family requires it in our daily life.
My father mentioned that our family uses the Internet very wisely. This is because our family uses it according to our needs. He also says that our family doesn’t use it so much that we sacrifice our family time.
My mother stated that the Internet itself is very convenient to find information and data. Since our family has kids who are students (me and my brother, it is very useful especially for homework and projects. The Internet also provides entertainment as one of my mom’s hobbies is watching online TV shows.
My brother commented that he believes that by using the Internet we can find thngs that help us in our homework. The Internet also provides recreation and lesiure through the games available.
I also personally think the same. I believe that the Internet is very useful both as an information source and entertainment. As a student myself, I realize that we students especially in Santa Laurensia Junior High School has loads of homework and projects that require an Internet connection. The projects also require us to communicate with our friends so I use the Internet also to communicate through email, Whatsapp and Line. With homework also comes stress, so by having the Internet I could easily spend my pastime reading online as well as watching tv-shows.
What do I think?
THE INTERNET
A DOUBLE-BLADED SWORD
The Internet is one of the most revolutionary inventions of the late 20th century. It enables people to connect, to be entertained, to learn and to discover a whole new virtual world. The Internet has become a neccessity for the modern world and it can be a source of inspiration and a pool of passion. However, like all other things in the world, the Internet can be good or bad. Sometimes people do really need the Internet to do good deeds, but it can be a tool for darkness if it is inappopriately used. So, how do I view the Internet in families? Well, this essay will answer it.
The Internet is a source of information. It is knowledgeable and we can easily find facts and data on it. That is why the Internet is extremely useful for families especially with working parents and children.
According to reuters.com, “The Internet was also selected as the most reliable source of news by nearly 40 percent of adults, compared to 17 percent who opted for television and 16 percent who selected newspapers and 13 percent for listened to the radio.” The study also shows that people are starting to utilize the Internet as their primary source of information. This is actually a good thing since by conveniently finding the needed information; children can easily do their homework. This can also provide bonding time for families with parents who wish to discuss important issues with their kids.
Aside from information, the Internet also becomes a tool for communication. All members of the family can easily communicate with friends outside of the family or distant family members. These can be done through social media such as Facebook and Twitter as well as electronic mails and instant messaging applications. The Internet provides easier connection especially when a family member is away from home and wishes to communicate with other family members through Facetime, Skype, Facebook, etc.
Nevertheless, the Internet also has a bad side. This regards addiction and an excessive use of the Internet itself. A research done by Harris Interactive (2007) showed that the average teenager (the company researched 1187 kids from ages 8-18 in the US) spends 44.5 hours a week on the Internet, that’s around 6 hours a day!
Dr. Douglas Gentile, Director of the Media Research Lab at Iowa State University also reported, “Almost one out of every ten youth gamers shows enough symptoms of damage to their school, family, and psychological functioning to merit serious concern.” That means if the Internet is not used properly, people can spend too much time online without communicating with their own family face-to-face. This can break family ties and danger family relationships.
Aside from that, dailymail.co.uk also stated that, “Internet addiction disrupts nerve wiring in the brains of teenagers, a study has found – causing a level of brain damage normally seen in heavy substance abusers.” That means Internet addiction has similar affects to cocaine or narcotic addiction. And as we all know, being in front of a screen for so long can also damage our eyes. This shows how the Internet can actually affect our health as well. This doesn’t have anything to do with family relatioships but they are still very important.
The Internet also provides a new way for people (especially kids and teens) to be exposed to violence and pornography. Since kids and teens are still in the process of finding values to cling onto, sometimes their sense of reality is easily distorted.
There are lots of events showcased in the news that prove this fact. A 13-year-old boy killed an 81-year old woman because he played violent online games. Another boy from China called Zhang Xiaoyi who after playing World of Warcraft III wanted to be part of the “Heroes of the World of Warcraft” took a gun from his parents room, asked his parents to close their eyes and shot his parents. It is truly horrifying. Aside from that, pornography has also become prominent in sexual abuse cases in society. Due to exposure to pornography, elementary school children raped their own friend after school! They are only around 12 years old and they have done such a horrible act. We must realize that these are all facts and a part of our reality today.
In conclusion, the Internet is like a double-bladed sword. It can be good or bad depending on the user. The Internet can be useful for families as a source of information and means of communication. However if it is used excessively, it can also bring bad effects. It can break family ties and affect the mental health of family members especially regarding violence and pornography. Therefore, if you are going to use Internet at home, remember to always use it correctly!
