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No Harm, No Foul in Heavy Net Use
An anonymous reader writes "Breathe easy, addicts. A new study says there's no harm in extended Internet use, contrary to earlier research indicating otherwise. Science Blog reports on an a University of Alberta study that found it can even be therapeutic for those 'facing social isolation and loneliness.'" So rejoice, everyone reading this on Sunday afternoon.
Extended Internet use is just like extended use of anything else. There's a point at which it becomes excessive and harmful. But given the user-controlled nature of the Internet, I don't see how anything less than a pathological obsession therewith could cause true physiological harm (couchpotatoitis notwithstanding)
Look, defenseless babies!
Deep vein thrombosis can really kill a good buzz.
I have AS, and can't imagine what my life would be like without the internet. It gives me an easy way to keep my brain active without leaving the house. TV and radio are crap and books require leaving the house (or money I don't have). I can read unlimited amounts of conversations without participating or even letting anyone know I am there. This is amazing for me because I get experience with other people without the stressful interaction. Best of all, I can share my opinions anonymously!
Maybe you know what four-letter acronym I'm going to say?
RTFA.
"She found that Internet users on average were more likely to have sociological and psychological problems than the regular community. However,... [she] found that onset of psychological symptoms "clearly preceded Internet use," at a range of five to 22 years."
--Quentin
AS is basically a mental disorder that, for all intents and purposes, defines the average geek.
m l
From: http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/aswhatisit.ht
Individuals with AS can exhibit a variety of characteristics and the disorder can range from mild to severe. Persons with AS show marked deficiencies in social skills, have difficulties with transitions or changes and prefer sameness. They often have obsessive routines and may be preoccupied with a particular subject of interest. They have a great deal of difficulty reading nonverbal cues (body language) and very often the individual with AS has difficulty determining proper body space. Often overly sensitive to sounds, tastes, smells, and sights, the person with AS may prefer soft clothing, certain foods, and be bothered by sounds or lights no one else seems to hear or see. It's important to remember that the person with AS perceives the world very differently. Therefore, many behaviors that seem odd or unusual are due to those neurological differences and not the result of intentional rudeness or bad behavior, and most certainly not the result of "improper parenting".
By definition, those with AS have a normal IQ and many individuals (although not all), exhibit exceptional skill or talent in a specific area. Because of their high degree of functionality and their naivete, those with AS are often viewed as eccentric or odd and can easily become victims of teasing and bullying. While language development seems, on the surface, normal, individuals with AS often have deficits in pragmatics and prosody. Vocabularies may be extraordinarily rich and some children sound like "little professors." However, persons with AS can be extremely literal and have difficulty using language in a social context.