These Technologies are like Parasites, Living on your Nutrients

Dr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal

Educationalist, Writer and Professor, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology

The future of yourself, your country and the whole world depends on how you would use your brain, your intelligence. Do you know an astounding conspiracy is going on right now regarding this immensely valuable mysterious brain of yours? I’m pretty sure most of you even have stepped in the trap of this conspiracy, without even knowing it. This conspiracy is known as the Social Network.
As a teacher, I’ve been noticing a sudden weird depletion among the students regarding their behavioral qualities, since 2013-14. Their analytical ability and concentration has declined drastically. And I believe this the result of overusing Facebook and other similar social media.
Scientists have been comparing Facebook addiction with drug addiction. When an addict doesn’t get his drugs on the specific time, a special chemical is released in his brain. The scientific studeis say that a social network user shows similar symptoms- he becomes restless and agitated if s/he is unable to log in his account at the specific time. The special chemical is released in his brain as well. In other words, social network addiction s no different than drug addiction.

You must use technology, but make sure it doesn’t use you instead. Always remember, these modern technologies are like parasites living on your nutrients.
Let’s imagine a hypothetical scenario:
“You’ve grown older and have become a mother or a father. Your children are not grownups, they read is school or college. Now, after coming home you see your son or daughter smoking a cigarette with his/her feet on the table.
You ask him/her, ‘What are you doing dear?’
Your son/daughter smiles at you and says, ‘I’m smoking mom/dad.’
Then s/he puts his/her legs down and says, ‘I don’t feel like my meal would is complete without having at least one cigarette after the main course.’
After saying that, s/he took another blow in and released the black smoke from his/her mouth.
And you reply, ‘Ok dear, complete your homework after you are done with that.’
Then you come to your room and think- my son/daughter is such a nice child. He doesn’t go out and spoils his time with others; rather sits inside the house and smokes peacefully…..”
I know the guardians or parents among the audience is probably feeling mad at me, right now, after listening to this scenario. You might be saying, a mother or a father can never tolerate such a behavior.

Of course they can’t and they won’t.
Cigarette is addictive. There are also a lot of other addictions which we are not used to seeing around us. Therefore, a common example was used in this scenario as form of addiction.
We can never accept if our child is addicted to any kind of addiction. We would surely be concerned, worried and would do anything to bring him back on the right track. But, if this is really true then how can we allow our children to sit in front of Facebook for hours, see them getting addicted to it like that?

The issue that was doubtful in the beginning, has now become a proven truth through various research journals. The same reaction takes place in a person who is averted from Facebook, as someone who is averted from cocaine or any other form of drug; the same chemical is secreted and released in the brain. It’s quite obvious that this is not a simple childish entertainment anymore. This is as serious as drug addiction.

Some people might think my opinion or my speech is a bit extreme! The issue is still not that serious. But I can guarantee you that the issue is, in fact, pretty serious.
It is quite mysterious the way that a human brain works. A lot of a child’s ability, his/her brain structure and functional capability depends on how s/he utilized the brain during the time s/he was growing up. Therefore, it concerns me more to see someone younger addicted to Facebook than someone quite older.

We would be able to realize about 10 years later, about the harmful effects of our children spending all their time in front of a screen instead of running and playing around on open fields or playgrounds, now! But it would be quite late by then and we won’t be able to do anything. However, a bit of common sense now, could save us from the huge danger that’s coming ahead.
I’m not demeaning those who used the technology for a certain aim or target! But I surely show my concern for those who are being used by the technology.

All of you may not know that, the main purpose of the creators of this technology is to keep the user in their website or portal for longer, anyhow, by any means. For those who do not believe me, ‘When you visit any news or media website and look around, what do you see? There are a lot of important things happening around the world, but there’s not even a single sign of those stories! Or maybe just a few of the events alongside inflated and intriguing news which would keep hooked for longer. When you click in one news, you would be shown videos, one after another, without you even asking for them. And if you are not strong enough you might just waste hours and hours watching those unnecessary videos.

When you visit a website, they analyze and track your virtual behavior and would try push you to links and sites as per your ‘needs’. Just because you accepted the IT service, the cyber world knows almost everything about you.

Recently, I heard a real story about ‘Likes’. A young girl opened an account and posted something, hoping to get ‘likes’. When she saw no one noticed her posts or gave ‘likes’ she opened another account, and liked her own posts from the other account!
It might sound funny, but I was rather disappointed to hear that. I felt why a young girl of my country would grow up so poorly, with a meaningless purpose in life? Who decided that  ‘likes’ on a Facebook post gives meaning and purpose to life?
Even if you believe or not, Internet addiction specially Facebook addiction is certainly a hapless issue worth our concern. Therefore let me remind you, there IS a real physical life outside the online virtual world that we must live to the fullest.

[ Dr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal- Educationalist, writer and professor of Shahjalal Science and Technology University. Lately, he is trying to raise awareness about the harmful effect of social media to the youth and guardians. A summary of some selected points he made in a featured column and in the speech he gave in a convocation ceremony of Kushtiya Islami University on January 7, 2018, regarding this matter, has been comprised here. ]