The relentless expansion of the internet has ushered in a new era marked by the proliferation of digital culture, one that frequently clashes with established societal norms and values. This phenomenon raises pertinent questions about the compatibility between the ethos of the virtual world and the values entrenched in tradition. The internet’s pervasive influence has reshaped how individuals communicate, consume information, and interact with the world around them. However, this evolution has also brought about a divergence from conventional norms, challenging longstanding beliefs and practices. Cultural values once rooted in community, face-to-face interactions, and shared experiences now contend with the anonymity, immediacy, and global reach facilitated by online platforms. As a result, a tension arises between the traditional fabric of society and the rapidly evolving landscape of internet culture, prompting a critical examination of the intersections and conflicts between the two.
Tag: Determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics – in private and public relationships.
Decoding the Questions:
- In Introduction, defining culture and putting some light on internet expansion.
- In Body,
- Explain the impacts of the expansion of the internet on cultural values.
- Mention the conflicting angles between the new value system and traditional value system.
- Conclude with a fair and balanced opinion showing the possibility of synergy between traditional and internet-age values.
Answer:
Culture is defined as shared behaviors, ideas, and artifacts that create a way of life passed from one generation to another. The increased use of the Internet since the late 1990s has had a large impact on how arts and culture products such as films, books, museum exhibitions, etc., are produced, distributed, acquired, and received. Culture has significantly benefited from the invention and increased use of the internet. It moreover instilled a different set of cultural values or new values which are often seen in conflict with traditional values, as discussed below:
- Materialism: The new value system which is developing through the expansion of the internet is promoting materialism whereas the traditional value system speaks about limited consumption as consumption was not considered to be a value.
- Self-centric or Self-centeredness: The new value system is self-centric whereas the traditional value system was based on social consciousness. Today, social consciousness is being replaced by self-centeredness and the internet is promoting that (E.g., indulgence with social media, etc.).
- Eccentric Behavior: Eccentric behavior is also attributed to expansion of the internet into rural areas. Earlier the social process was very strict, that is why all this kind of eccentric behavior was cut down but today the challenges like blue whale challenge coming into the picture.
- Mental Health Challenges: Nowadays, it is often seen that the use of the internet is leading to the opposite of feelings of connection, resulting in depression, anxiety, and loneliness, which are creating mental health challenges among adolescents.
- Fragility in Relations: More often, virtual connectedness and fragility in relations is also seen due to the rapid expansion of the internet.
In some areas, the expansion of the internet is seen conflicting with the traditional value system but in other areas a reaffirmation of the traditional value system is seen. So, the impact of the expansion of the internet is not unilateral.
- There is a proliferation of bhakti channels on the internet which still reconfirms cultural traditional values of India.
- Along with that traditional cuisine that is also getting new life only because of the internet.
- Moreover, the age-old Yoga, Ayurveda or traditional Indian medicine, Vedic literature, etc., are getting promoted and recognized worldwide because of the expansion of the Internet.
Currently, the social values and norms are continuously changing because of the influence of internet expansion. The expansion of the internet is not only conflicting with the traditional value system of India but also strengthening the traditional value system. It is also nurturing the rise of new forms of expression for art and the spread of knowledge.
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