Guest Post by Andrew Howe
If you are reading this article online, you are in the digital era! People use different gadgets daily (computers, smartphones, and tablets). Around 86% of the US population have access to the Internet from home, and this number grows daily. People might agree that living in the digital era is a great bonus. However, what cons can be named?
Today we are going to focus on pros and cons. If you want to discover how to get the most out of it, you need to keep reading this article!
Here are five pros to start using the Internet right now.
Online education
Once John Dewey said, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” To stay competitive, energetic, and savvy, one should struggle for self-development, and online education is a key to success. Nowadays you can choose the best MOOC for you, and start learning something. Plus, you have a possibility to watch movies, so it can be a way to learn a foreign language.
Job vacancies
Have you ever wondered how to find a job place? No matter who you are; whether a recent grad, a housewife, or a business person, you can use online resources to start working. Even being a prejudiced person, you can use social media to find a workplace, too. For example, LinkedIn is like your online CV: education, experience, skills, and contacts.
Travel around the globe
If you are on a tight budget but have a strong desire to explore the world, you are welcome to use the Internet! Here you can find travelers’ vlogs, 3D museums, and many colorful pictures of different sightseeing. Make plans online, to visualize your dreams!
Shopping
Is being trendy high on your list? Be sure to find everything from grocery to wild animals while buying different stuff online. It saves not only time but money as well. There are many shop owners who give special offers to their subscribers online.
Tools and apps
If you know how to use online tools and apps, that’s great! In fact, there are many different apps that you can use daily. You can hone your skills in writing and communication, time management, or arts. From my experience, you can even create your own tool like I did with AdverbLess.
All mentioned above pros are great, but none of them guarantees you can forget about cons.
Here comes a list of disadvantages:
Health problems
Using computer daily can cause different health problems. Thus, you need to take care of your health. Promote good posture, improve eyesight, and reduce a risk of back pain. In addition, people are not active that is also bad for health.
A lack of real communication
The next time you are in a cafe, take a look at couples: modern people tend to communicate online than offline even when they are sitting face to face. It is a global problem, as people have a communication gap. It is getting easier to express their feeling with smiles than real emotions. It is a sad fact, indeed.
Spamming and phishing
More and more brands use digital resources to promote their products/services. Unfortunately, not all of them use ads but spam. You may agree that finding a proper message on your mail is time-intensive. In addition, the Internet can be used for phishing. Hackers use the network to steal your personal data, so being careful on the web is a must!
One thing I have learned over the years is that the Internet has many pros and cons. Plus, its importance has grown rapidly. We all have become a part of the digital era, even without knowing that.
What do you think? Do the pros outweigh the cons?
Guest Post
Andrew Howe is fond of languages and writing. He runs Adverbless, an app that helps people hone their writing skills. Andrew loves modern technologies, gadgets, and traveling. Feel free to drop him a line via email: andrewhowe306@gmail.com
Living in the Digital Era: Pros and Cons