Internet Has Actually Had a Negative Effect on Non-Western Societies - Essay Example

Internet has actually had a negative effect on non-western societies Introduction Internet is an important technological advancement that has provided means in which information can be shared easily. It is easier for someone in Thailand to communicate with someone who is located in United States of America (Barker and Angelopulo, 2005). However, Internet has come with its negative side (Oliver, Romm-Livermore and Sudweeks, 2008). Some of the challenges that are associated with Internet are the type of information that is transmitted, controlling and monitoring information that has been disseminated and cultural decay (Zhu and Ma, 2011). Thus, the aim of this essay is to show that Internet has actually had negative effect on non-Western societies. The discussion will be based on politics and culture has example of negatives that are associated with Internet. Politics Internet plays an import role in degrading and repudiating those countries, political parties, and states that champions different ideologies from those that are championed in Western countries. Numerous websites usually provides forums that are free, and it allows every person who has views to express one-sidedly and thus degrades certain state (Ethridge and Handelman, 2012). For example, some sites states that Asian governments are not able to control political situations and other developmental policies. Other groups such as the “pro-democracy fighters” have continuously attacked Chinese government from the perspective of anti-government and anti-party views, and their socialist system. Moreover, these groups attack national leaders of the non-Western countries (Barker and Angelopulo, 2005). The western countries views do not acknowledge the views of the local government or states but champions things that are biased (Buhalis and Laws, 2001). For example, in the Internet, those countries that champions systematic reforms have been attacked stating that they do not champion human rights principles and they do not appreciate democracy (Ethridge and Handelman, 2012). In addition, the views presented on the Internet maximize on popular sentiment of disenchantment that result from work that is not satisfactory and frustration by the citizens and thus resulting in agitation of the populace. Generally, it means that these sites champions actions that are not satisfactory from the views of Western states (Oliver, Romm-Livermore and Sudweeks, 2008). The Internet has played a major role and has become an important tool that interferes with Internet affairs of other countries and harms national sovereignty. In certain websites, for example, organizations and agencies of some Western countries publish and supply data that try to treat sections of sovereign states has independent countries e.g. Tibet (Oliver, Romm-Livermore and Sudweeks, 2008). The approach that these Internet users are to influence people subconsciously and thus making people within these non-Western states to view their own ideologies differently (Wimmer and Dominick, 2010). Thus, the Internet ensures that the views of Internet users within the non-Western regions are manipulated to view importance and impact of Western countries. Internet provides a medium in which different people within a region can share their different views (Ethridge and Handelman, 2012). Internet comes with different tools that allows for communication between and within people. Example of tools may include blogs, chatting, social network, and emails (Barker and Angelopulo, 2005). The Internet, especially websites, allows politicians to share their views, sale their agendas to citizens, and also be able to receive information to improve certain features within their policies (Zhu and Ma, 2011). The Arab Spring is an example that illustrates the impact of Internet to politics. Arab Spring is the upraising that occurred in the Middle East whereby numerous ‘dictatorial’ governments were ousted. Some of the governments that were affected include Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen. Many of these demonstrations and uprising were spread with social media especially Facebook. Thus, Internet played a major role in ensuring success of these demonstrations and uprising (Zhu and Ma, 2011). Even though Internet played a major role in the Arab Spring, numerous issues arises. One of the issues is what ‘forced’ the citizens to start the uprising and demonstrations. It may be attributed to rogue governments but democracy in the case of these incidents is based on Western countries definition of democracy (Oliver, Romm-Livermore and Sudweeks, 2008). Democracy in certain parts of the world cannot work because of lack of enough information, structures to guide democracy, and strategies to ensure that democracy operates efficiently (Barker and Angelopulo, 2005). However, the Arab Uprising was based on the Western definition rather than ensuring that governments embrace transformative democracy and given time to put into action measures and structures to guarantee democracy. Generally, it means Internet played a major role in Arab Uprising but the motive and outcome of the uprising differed based on the aims of the demonstrators (Wimmer and Dominick, 2010). Culture The Internet usually advances Western lifestyles. The information posted on the websites presents numerous aspects of western life and society, and most of these websites champions and illustrate that western lifestyle is better compared to other cultures (Khosrowpour, 2006). The lifestyle indicates that there is absolute freedom in the western countries and also these regions are “paradise” for personal achievement where life is without external inferences and obstacles (Oliver, Romm-Livermore and Sudweeks, 2008). Such partial information usually plays an important role in shaping philosophical life of youths who are not mature (Ethridge and Handelman, 2012). Many of these youths tend to embrace these lifestyles without understanding there consequences. This generally means that the information on the Internet usually corrupts, changes and influences people’s ethical values and moral perspectives (Buhalis and Laws, 2001). For example, prostitution is filled in the Internet and most of the information originates from western countries. The Internet plays a major role especially for the dominant cultures. The dominant cultures influences and homogenizes cultures championing an inferior position (Zhu and Ma, 2011). A high percent on information on the Internet is written in English, meaning that English culture is strengthened and most cultures across the world tend to embrace the English culture (Barker and Angelopulo, 2005). In comparison, cultures that are based on other languages such as Spanish, English and Mandarin are weakened. Because of increase in penetration of Internet, it has made many under-developed countries to continuously defend themselves from foreign and dominant cultures (Wimmer and Dominick, 2010). This has made the indigenous cultures to introduce strategies and means to ensure that these cultures survive. The Internet plays an important role in defining and championing cultural homogeneous. Even though culturally homogeneous has already been in place because of television and telephones, Internet has improved this homogeneity (Wimmer and Dominick, 2010). Many of the world’s cultures share some substantive ideals and values. However, understanding these ideals and values is one thing while appreciating its complexity is something else. Therefore, Internet has been instrumental in ensuring that the important presuppositions that support homogeneity have been laid down (Oliver, Romm-Livermore and Sudweeks, 2008). This means that the Internet facilitates this process through providing interpretations and interpenetrations meaning each culture shares something with another culture, and within themselves. Through Internet, different cultures have shared set of ideals and values that drives their aims, and hence, these different cultures shares values and ideals that are not specific to a single culture but different cultures (Barker and Angelopulo, 2005). Through learning and embracing different cultures, Internet has ensured that dynamism and continual adaptation within cultures is encouraged (Buhalis and Laws, 2001). Internet provides unique means in which cultures shares values and ideals but there are issues such as the authenticity of the information provided (Ethridge and Handelman, 2012). For example, false and harmful information has become a major concern on determining whether Internet champions homogeneity. There is no reliable selection mechanism that determines whether the information provided is false or true (Barker and Angelopulo, 2005). Thus, traditional information media is more important compared to Internet in disseminating information (Webster, 2001). In addition, some cultures may champion information that is harmful. Because of absence of effective regulation and selection mechanism, the Internet sometimes carry harmful information such as bomb making recipes, extremist ideology, and libellous information (Zhu and Ma, 2011). This means that even though culture is championed through the use of Internet, other harmful information is provided resulting in chaos. Conclusion Internet has contributed to degrading and upgrading of the society. Internet has had negative effect on Non-Western societies especially when it comes to politics and culture. Western government champions policies and views that may not be appreciated by other non-western societies. In addition, the Internet has degraded cultures because views from one society may not be appreciated by the other society. References Barker, R., and Angelopulo, G. 2005. Integrated Organisational Communication. New York: Juta and Company Ltd Buhalis, D., and Laws, E. 2001. Tourism Distribution Channels: Practices, Issues and Transformations. Sydney: Cengage Learning EMEA Ethridge, M., and Handelman, H. 2012. Politics in a Changing World, 6th Ed. London: Cengage Learning Khosrowpour, M. 2006. Cases on Information Technology and Organizational Politics & Culture. London: Idea Group Inc Oliver, D., Romm-Livermore, C., and Sudweeks, F. 2008. Self-Service in the Internet Age: Expectations and Experiences. London: Springer Webster, F. 2001. Culture and Politics in the Information Age: A New Politics? London: Routledge Wimmer, R., and Dominick, J. 2010. Mass Media Research: An Introduction, 9th Ed. London: Cengage Learning Zhu, R., and Ma, Y. 2011. Information Engineering and Applications: International Conference on Information Engineering and Applications (Iea 2011). New York: Springer Read More