How can one escape when surfing the net has become a 'second life' for many?

The habit of surfing the net gradually became a natural reflex, to the point that without it, I felt lost in real life.

As reflected, during the discussion session at the National Assembly, delegate Bui Hoai Son - standing member of the Committee on Culture and Education - commented that Vietnam is witnessing a "cultural trade deficit phenomenon".

"Many people bitterly say that Vietnamese people are here but their souls and spirits have crossed the border and been manipulated by Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok," Mr. Son said.

Below is a share from a young person sent to Tuoi Tre Online , to contribute another perspective on this opinion.

Surf the net to avoid becoming a "primitive person"

Recently, information about lavish lifestyles on social networks has become a "fever" in the community, from posting photos of luxury goods, showing off bank transfer information with edited numbers, to exaggerating luxurious trips , causing many controversies.

I don’t remember when, but all my daily habits have become connected to my phone, social media, and the Internet. From daily life, eating, entertainment, to shopping, it seems like I can’t make a decision without looking up information online.

Not only me, but just sitting in a coffee shop, bookstore or public place, everyone can listen to the discussions that are happening online.

Any topic, from school violence among 8th graders, exposing the beauty salon owner, fortune telling about the future, a singer recently arrested for illegal substances, or the booing and pointing when an online "content creator" passes by...

I have to accept all the scattered information, whether I need it or not, so as not to become a "caveman".

And every morning when I wake up, the first thing I do is not to look out the window or start a new day with positive thoughts, but to reach for my phone to surf the internet.

Even if there's nothing special to read on a day, I still have to scroll through social media to see what's new, what my friends are doing, or just to "check in" in the virtual world .

Many times I sit down to eat with friends but we don’t talk or look at each other. Instead we look at our phones, read the news, watch funny videos.

Even when I'm about to eat something delicious, I can't "do it" right away, but have to take a photo, edit it a bit, and then post it on my personal page.

With just a few clicks, you can show the world what you ate today, where you ate it, and even expect a few likes and comments from family and friends.

And so the food gradually cooled down while I was busy adjusting the light and angle to make it perfect.

Shopping without the Internet is not safe.

My habit of "addicted to reading reviews" is not only for entertainment, but also affects my shopping. Even when standing in front of a supermarket counter, instead of directly examining or feeling the product, I open my phone, search for information, and read reviews about the item in front of me.

There must be enough positive comments and reviews from previous users for me to feel secure in making a decision, otherwise it will take away the joy of shopping.

This dependence can sometimes become a burden because the more I read, the more I get caught up in a loop of hundreds of conflicting opinions, and then end up not knowing what to buy.

One time I was standing in front of a cosmetics counter and wanted to buy a new bottle of skin cream. After more than 20 minutes of standing there, reading every single review online and watching "video reviews" from "beauty bloggers", I was still confused and couldn't choose the right product.

I even wasted time on products that were not available in supermarkets, so I was absent-mindedly searching for more online stores.

The time it takes to buy an item can sometimes take up to an hour, and the results are often not as expected. But even so, I keep going back to my old habits.

To escape this vortex, I practice the habit of not letting myself get lost in the endless flow of information, then gradually lose the ability to selectively absorb, following a hurried lifestyle, only knowing how to skim through without stopping to think.

The chaotic, fragmented, mixed information blocks of truth and lies, right and wrong coexist, we are like clouds in the sky, drifting, unpredictable and possibly lost.

Sometimes you need to control yourself, you need to find the real values ​​in life. Living on the Internet is a "circle of addiction" that is very difficult to escape, but not impossible.

Social media addiction and changes

The internet has continued to expand, from the initial information-providing websites, to search engines, to the social media era, where we are no longer passive spectators but increasingly direct creators, producers, sharers, and influencers of the flow of information.

The ease with which information is created and shared has inadvertently drawn people into a vortex. Everyone is trying to expand their influence, attract followers, or actively engage to demonstrate their personal value.

Social media addiction also leads to changes in the way of living, communicating and looking at life. Many times I suddenly feel scared when I don’t have my phone by my side, always feel insecure when I can’t connect to the internet.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/lam-sao-co-the-thoat-ra-khi-luot-mang-tro-thanh-cuoc-song-thu-hai-cua-nhieu-nguoi-20241112090011323.htm