Don’t let the Internet rob you of “thinking time”

The Internet addiction has been a problem in the U.S. and Japan for over 10 years. It became a problem in China around 2007. In November 2011, IT News Africa reported that the Internet addiction among 18-28 year old youths in Kenya is increasing. Because accessing the Internet at an internet cafe in Kenya is cheaper than buying drugs or beer, the number of youths indulging in the Internet as a cheap form of entertainment and getting counseling for addiction is on the rise. In addition to activities like downloading music, playing games and pornography, youths not only in Kenya but the world over recently are spending vast amounts of time on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

About 400 years ago, Francis Bacon said, “Friends are thieves of time.” Regardless of where in the world they may be, friends today can, through social media, encroach on our time on a scale incomparable to Bacon’s era. Gathering information and keeping in touch with friends are necessary things, but it is important not to let those activities deprive you of “thinking time” for creating value in your life and work. There is a tendency to overlook this but it is valuable wisdom for the people of today.

Not all information on the Internet is, of course, jumbled and worthless. I hope this site acts as a measure for selecting what is necessary from the flood of information on the Internet for readers.