Technology has embedded itself in our lives, and we’ve become highly dependent on it. From education to medicine, to relationships and even traditions, the technological world has changed every aspect of our lives. Personally, the world of digital humanities has impacted my life in various ways and on multiple levels.
To start with, lack of self-confidence and insecurity have always accompanied me throughout my life. I found it challenging to express my true self to the world. However, with the help of today’s technological advancements and the availability of multiple social media platforms, I’m able now to portray my character and express my identity, something I never thought I would be able to share with the outside world. My first experience in joining the online community was a bit nerve-wracking to be honest. Having a rather low self-esteem most of my life, then being given the opportunity and the chance to portray my true personality and real self-online frightened me at first. Do I want to show the world a part of my reality? Will I become dissatisfied with the outcome?
The question that stood out the most was related to people’s opinion. In a way social media is a platform for you to be judged. You give the power to others to criticize you and point out something you might be insecure about. I chose to disregard other people’s opinion and reveled in a newfound self-confidence. Today, even with the occasional insecurity I face, I’m actually proud of overcoming my fear and stepping out of my comfort zone because I believe this is how we grow as individuals.
Furthermore, this digital world allows you to adopt a unique identity and represent a specific part of you. Different worlds exist on different platforms. I found the place I belong to on Instagram. Adopting a public account for the entire world to see, I have been given the opportunity to express a part of me via the pictures I take when I travel with my loved ones. I share my artistic side in travel photography, which is personal to every individual. We each have our style in capturing a specific scene or a person, and, by doing so, we let the viewer see things from our perspective and show them how we see the world. Instagram is for the outside world to see how I see and view things.
However, being active on social media clashed with my insecurity, and, instead of helping me overcome it, I found that sometimes scrolling through my feed increases my lack of self-confidence. Having everything on display and available may lead you to compare what you have to what others have. The importance of an “Instagram worthy picture” can stress a person out. Moreover, the ideals of beauty keep changing at a rapid pace due to the influence of celebrities, bloggers, models, etc. Everyone sets a beauty standard, and you feel the need to adopt each and every one of them. You reach a point where nothing is good enough, and you reflect that negatively upon yourself.
Nonetheless let’s not disregard the aid we’ve been provided with via this intersection of computing and humanities. Scrolling through the different platforms along with the new technological advancements of switching from actual books to e-books, I found it easier for me now to read or write as technology has given me the opportunity to access many educational platforms whenever I want and wherever I am. It exposed me to multiple domains because of their accessibility and made it for me easier to seek more knowledge and read about new discoveries in any field.
The world is now a global village where everyone is connected to everyone else regardless of their location. Businesses and companies are able to grow and succeed because of the means available to them to advertise themselves on a mass scale, and individuals have easier access to online education, job opportunities, e-shopping, etc. All of these changes caused our lifestyle to change drastically. We have now grown accustomed to a fast paced life where slowing down is not an option anymore. However this has also a negative impact on our physical and mental health, where the latter is often disregarded. For example, digital technologies have profoundly changed childhood and adolescence. The internet and the means to access it, such as tablets and smartphones, along with social media platforms and messaging apps, have become an integral part to the lives of youth around the world. They have transformed their education and learning, the way they make and maintain friendships, how they spend their leisure time, and their engagement with a wider society. Furthermore, we cannot ignore the impact it has on their mental health in some cases when exposed to cyberbullying from different people.
The more we’re progressing with technology, the more problems we’re creating that we tend to regard as insignificant. Digital humanities can serve us greatly in our lives only if we learn how to counter the negative impacts it has on our health.
MAHA'S WORLD 