Ours is a peculiar society. Anything you do – good or bad – you will find people to support or oppose you. Net surfing is no exception. We know of people who feel enlightened with ‘bombardments of information’ coming their way through the internet. They would say on oath that their knowledge and wisdom are derived from the use of internet. In fact, the other day, we heard of a luminary making a demand for availability of internet as one of the fundamental rights – no less than that of the right of food, security, education, et al.
Like the other side of the coin, there are others too, who blame the net for virtually everything evil in the society. From the increasing health hazards to growth of terrorism to rise of obscenity – all of them are attributed to the use of internet. The moderates among them however coin their words differently – internnet is not bad, but excessive use of net is bad. If that is so, why take net alone. Anything in excess is bad – even excessive charity has a negative connotation and implication. Well, that is off-the- cuff. The real news is here: A university in the US offers a course on ‘Wasting Time on Internet’
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The Department of English at the University of Pennsylvania has decided to offer their students a course entitled ‘Wasting Time on the Internet’ from the next semester. Mind it, the University of Pennsylvania is not an ordinary or lesser known institute – it is a well established very prestigious university drawing students from around the world. The students will be asked to stare at the screen for three hours, and communicate only through chat rooms, bots, social media and listservs. The objective would be to explore the long history of boredom and time-wasting. They would also be asked to read the works by writers, theorists and creatives, including Betty Friedan, Raymond Williams and John Cage. Predictably, the course will not be any less demanding or stressful for those who might have initially thought of the subject being only a fascinating one. Let’s wait and see, what is there is store for the participants who opt for the course.
Author : Syed Zafar Ahmad
Designation: Executive Director
Bio: A freelancer with a flair for experimenting with innovative technology and electronic gadgets that could enrich the life of a modern common man, and a consultant in issues touching every-day life of a computer suave professional.
Bio: A freelancer with a flair for experimenting with innovative technology and electronic gadgets that could enrich the life of a modern common man, and a consultant in issues touching every-day life of a computer suave professional.
