4/13/2011

Internet Addiction

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The Virtual Creature
By The Windchime

Unless our internet gadgets and devices are all broken (perhaps due to excessive use or abuse), we would probably not go to bed early and consequently would not be able to wake up early. In the past there was a saying that goes this way: "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." Today the saying now becomes: "Early to bed and early to rise is a sure sign that your computer is already a broken device."

According to studies conducted by some experts, the internet is fast becoming the number one "psychological addiction" of the 21st century that is sweeping the entire globe and has affected and is continuing to affect millions of people from all walks of life, race, religion, and ethnicity.

Unlike any other form of addiction, the negative effects of internet addiction are subtle and bring far more gradual destruction in the long run to the addicted person compared with being addicted to drugs or alcohol or any other form of psychological dependency.

Things have their inherent potential to be something good or bad, but it all depends on how they are used or intended to be used. For instance, drugs are good when they are used for the appropriate treatment of sickness, otherwise they can be harmful. Or work for instance, it can be a productive expending of human energy when done with appropriate regulations and within proper confines, otherwise over-zealous motivation for it could turn a person into a self-draining workaholic. Right kind and right amount of alcohol in the body is good for the heart and other organs, but abuse it and you could turn into a pathetic alcoholic.

Much so, the internet can be good or bad. How we use or abuse it makes the difference. The internet's potential is so great and vast as the ocean. Because of its tremendous capability to feed our minds with just about anything the mind is capable of imagining and able to process and comprehend, it carries both the productive and destructive power to effect or cause both good and bad things to happen to people who are hooked on it, as well as influence the worldwide community. Nothing like this thing had ever been made before! Its awesome power makes it the greatest tool for good and evil that mankind has ever created.

Realize, that every time you touch a keyboard, your fingers are stroking a part of this great man-made creation. And unless you know exactly what you are doing, beware! For while most people might just innocently and unknowingly be tickling the creature into some playful amusement, there are people whose fingers intently goad the creature into causing something evil to happen. Or worse, you may not know it but your fingers might be poking the creature into causing unintended serious negative consequences you are totally oblivious of.

Remember, the moment you log-in to the WWW (World Wide Web), you momentarily become a part of it! And whatever is in your mind becomes a part of the creature's mind and whatever information or idea you communicate out through the web becomes yet another talking voice of the creature. From the great multitude of thoughts that originate from the individual souls hooked up to the internet, the great creature draws its awesome power to influence and possess people's hearts and minds. With our addiction to the internet, we become the empowering force behind the creature. Through the internet we become globally united as one. Collectively therefore, we are the Virtual Creature (or "Beast", if you like).

The internet is now growing so fast and is becoming stronger and wilder each day. Millions upon millions of people have come to embrace it and believe in the awesome potential of its power. Internet followers and patronizers believe that with the touch of the keyboard buttons, together they can and are changing the world. It has become the new obsession of the recent century. And this virtual creature is now becoming the world's new religion.

Just as the mind is unstoppable, so is this virtual creature. Its power is like the mighty wind. Its force is more stronger than the biggest ocean waves sweeping across the lands. Its domination is as vast as the ocean. Who can subdue it?

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The sound of a great multitude of people is like the sound of the waves of the ocean. And out of the seas emerges a great creature who could talk and speak in many languages and it has the power to perform wonders and miracles and many have come to worship it.