The Internet is an awesome tool, but be careful and aware that
the cloud of over stimulation doesn’t invade your mind.
It seems we have to become aware of a new problem that is
starting to invade our modern, industrial society, that being
the problem of over stimulation. The Internet is an excellent
tool but we have to remember that the mind is the most valuable
tool imaginable. Some would argue that spirit or soul is of
equal or more importance, I am not disagreeing with these
people. The point that I am attempting to put forward for
discussion is that although the Internet is an excellent new
medium that can affect nearly all aspects of life in a positive
way, like all things in existence it too has a shadow side. Over
stimulation of the mind is a huge cloud in the blue sky of
consciousness.
Have you ever sat at your desk searching through the Web for
News information, then checking your emails with their
accompanying attachments and links, and then doing general
searches for random information? If you receive newsletters, or
subscribe to blogs, you read these daily as well. The human mind
is powerful, and scientists say that we only use an average of
10 % of it, but doesn’t that entail that we should be careful
not to overload its present information processing capabilities?
I’ve read that in one New York Times newspaper there is more
information to digest than one would have had to process in a
whole lifetime of the Shakespearean era. With the advent of the
Internet we have more access to knowledge and opinion than ever
previously. We have to be cautious my friends. I personally have
had to come to the realization that my spiritual, mental,
physical and emotional health is of more importance than all
other things in life. If I work too hard, or try to read too
much, my mind starts to weigh down with all the thoughts that
are produced with each and every tidbit of communication that I
take in. After a while I sometimes feel like there is a giant
cloud inside my mind and I no longer feel confident to do the
daily activities that are required of me as a committed team
player of our society.
So what’s the solution? Well, like all things in life solutions
are often more simple than we could ever have hoped for. We just
have to keep our eyes open to grasp the answers that are
presented to us as opportunities everyday. Make a note when you
are feeling bogged down and tired and think about how much
information you have tried to compute in that moment. Give
yourself time limits and a designated number of searches and
downloads for a day. You can learn to take more breaks and find
anecdotal means to sift through the information, or even block
out all the stimuli in that break period. Gardening, meditation,
stretches, breathing exercises, tai chi, yoga, cooking, sports,
music…all of these are options to undertake when you want to get
away from the noise of too many ‘voices’.
The Internet is an awesome idea that has come to fruition. Like
all tools and mediums of interaction it must be used mindfully,
with care for the user as first priority. You would never use a
power saw without gloves, boots, and ear and eye protection. You
could lose a finger…you’ve heard the horror stories. Well the
Internet hasn’t really been around long enough for too many
stories to be circulating, and I think its negative effects
could be more subtle than my example, but the case at hand is
that we must be very careful how we interact with the world
around us. If we are all walking the streets with giant nebulous
nimbus clouds in our minds, there is bound to be trouble.
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