The women’s majlis: Imagining a world without the internet

During my final exam recently, I came across an interesting question: “Imagine that the world had to get rid of one form of media – TV, radio, newspapers, the internet, advertising or public relations. You are one of those to decide which will be stopped. Which one would you choose? Argue in detail why. Describe what our society would be like without it.”

Initially, I was going with radio, reasoning that it’s perhaps the least important. The internet was top of my keep list. Then I had a rethink. Why not lose the internet? We’ve become so dependent on it that it’s seemingly no longer possible to live without. I go through withdrawal when I have no access; when my phone is just a phone. If the internet was removed, everyone would start living an actual life.

If there was no more internet, what would you do? You’d go through the five stages of grief and loss. “Is it really gone?” “Maybe it’s just a joke?” After the denial stage, you’d get angry. “Who did this?” Then you’d begin throwing your phone around, believing it’s now useless. You’d then start to bargain – the third stage. You’d feel helpless and all your sentences would start with “if only”. “If only I didn’t depend on the internet.” Then you’d start feeling depressed. Boredom would strike – what would you do now? Finally, you’d start to accept it and could start living again.

There’s more to life than your web browser or posting photos to Instagram. When you start going to gatherings or places that fill your soul, you start to notice the benefits of life without the web. Today, when we’re supposed to be connecting with our family and friends, we find ourselves surrounded by people pressing on screens.

As a student, I’ll gain my degree with the help of the internet. But do we miss out on what researching really is, because all we have to do is use Google? If there was no internet, how would we research? Would we start reading books? The internet makes our lives easier – information can be accessed in seconds. It has made us more connected to the world. But one side effect is that the spread of rumours and scandals takes just an instant to ruin lives.

If the internet was removed, it could be good and bad. In a survey of 84 people, only seven wanted the internet removed. The rest said it should stay – it’s their source of entertainment and information.

One of those surveyed said: “The internet is very useful especially when it comes to doing school/uni-related work.”

“It would definitely be a good idea to rid ourselves of the internet ... people are going to be more social,” said someone else, while another said it should be kept “because without internet, life would be ­boring”.

Nada Abduallah Al Menhali, 19, is an integrated strategic communications student at Zayed University.

If you have a good story to tell or an interesting issue to debate, contact Shireena Al Nowais on [e-mail].