RDB 1

I believe that the Internet is both the best and worst invention of all time. Although the web has become a portal to endless data and possibilities around the world, it has severed the personal aspect of what it means to be human. Many say the world is now at our fingertips, but I say that the REAL world and the CYBER world are not one, but merely coexist as two separate entities. People may browse the web all day and absorb its information at maximum capacity; however, as Professor Bump cites from Moustkas Personal Growth, “Intellectual accomplishments represent only one small aspect of the human experience” (1). Nothing can ever be entirely learned without an encounter, an experience that redefines and invokes an excitement to question the appeal of a certain concept or idea. I do not believe that the human brain can ever be fully developed without adventure, excitement, new beginnings, love, or loss.
It is obvious as seen in The Chronicles of Higher Education that the Internet has “redefine(d) what it means to be an educated person in the 21st century”, but must one be simply Internet capable or must one be extremely accomplished in the art or html to be considered remotely educated? Generations before us survived and made names for themselves without the infinite information that the Internet now supplies to us. If they were inquisitive about a certain subject, they would have to go to a library, find a book concerning the matter, and read. In order to establish business connections, they would have to meet face to face, discuss matters, and prove their aptitude. Likewise to fall in love or to make friends, they would have to actually pursue a relationship and create a sincere bond. Are these people, the people who forged the path for us, not educated? My father, a man from a generation before computers were readily available, is one of the smartest people I know. A self-made lawyer, he was born with brains, but has become successful through the experiences that have molded him into who he is. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War and a cancer survivor. He has traveled, been married, settled down, and now has seven children. Even though he has recently had to learn to use the computer for business purposes, I find it amazing that he was able to flourish so much without our faithful friend the Internet.
I agree with Pink that “the world has changed”, but we do not necessarily have to completely alter the human persona to change with it (1). Although I do believe in the power of Facebook and other such networking systems and probably would be considered a junkie to the core, meeting people via the Internet is not exactly the same as meeting them in person. Even though I am always thrilled when I receive a new friend request, I become even more ecstatic when I see my so-called friend out in the real world. Ideas such as AIM and blogs provide people with instant communication and the opportunity to share thoughts and feelings that they normally would not express or share. Has the Internet turned us into cowards? Think about it. Is it not strange how people willingly share themselves with the entire world the things that they do not want to share with those who are the closest to them? It might just be me, but I think that life without the Internet was simpler. I long for the days when people were actually romanced and when friendships were based on authentic communication and personal connection. I wish that families were still united as they used to be and spent more time together. I am not being ignorant or claiming that the Internet is a horrible invention, but I do believe that “more people are searching for meaning” and it is because they are forgetting about the important values of life (Pink 3).
I feel that people in the past were more in rhythm with both hemispheres of their brain. They studied art, mathematics, literature, logic, sciences, and theatre. Recently, education has become restricted and people have chosen their paths depending on which subjects they are most successful in. I see the Plan II program as a blessing in which we are given the opportunity to fully develop our brains and delve into places that most students will not. No, I do not believe that the world lies in the hands of the right-brained “hippies”, as Wiley would call them, nor do I believe the left-brained geniuses have all of the answers. I believe that our brain is made to function as a whole and that somewhere amidst the battle of the right a left hemispheres lies a medium in which logic and creativity combine to exceed normal boundaries and expectations. It is to the few who are able to connect their thoughts, who are able to understand the power and intricacy of the human mind, and who are able to realize that the world really is at their fingertips through the gift of life that the future belongs to.