10© Crescentlite
A/N » Just an argumentative essay I wrote ages ago for an English assignment. Those born in Singapore might be able to understand my views better.
The Internet is a marvelous invention that has become part and parcel of our everyday life. It is a basic requirement for anyone, especially when he or she is studying or has advanced into the business world. Global communication is an important thing. We need to know everything that is happening around us or we will lose touch with the power countries. Without the Internet, we wouldn't be able to receive news as easily as now. True, there is the invention of the telephone and facsimile for similar transfer of information, but nothing beats the speed of the Internet. Just one click of the mouse and the news about Saddam Hussein's capture or WHO's [World Health Organization] latest list of SARS affected countries would be known instantly to the entire world.
Furthermore, the Internet also brings people closer to each other through sources such as emails, MSN messenger chats, and even sites like Friendster. Which also brings me to say that Internet is definitely a big key in terms of entertainment.
Parents often grimace when they learn their children are always hanging out at arcades after school. These are the places where parents won't be able to keep an eye on them. Why not download some of the games into the computers at home then? 24 hours of easy accessibility to games and still in the safety and comfort of home will then be available. Another point worth mentioning is that the Internet is arguably the most efficient source of information. In this fast flying world where people can be made or broken in a few seconds because of computer crashes, the Internet is the place for them to get first hand news, tips and tricks. Via the Internet, millionaires can buy and sell the right shares at the right time and turn into overnight billionaires.
Sites like Ebay or Amazon Online also make shopping more convenient for the self-proclaimed couch potatoes. Teachers planning lessons would also be affected. Relying wholely on books, newspapers and other forms of media will take a longer and harder time than surfing the Internet.
Finally, research and development are the skills employers emphasize on nowadays. How much research can be done if we depend only on the 'ancient methods of searching for information'? Past statistics might be lost to us as there would be no way to get old news from newspapers unless you dig hard into the archives. Time is crucial and the Internet solves that variable to achieve excellence.
In conclusion, I must say that the Internet is definitely not the most evil invention of the century. The Internet is pretty much a non-living thing. It can't think without a brain. To say it's evil, you should be pointing fingers at the user of the Internet instead.