Digital addiction is a real threat, which we in developing countries ignore. Our children, in developed countries are not immune to it either. We have the false mentality that if we expose our children to the computer, ipad and TV, they will end up more intelligent and knowledgeable. However we are totally unaware of the waves which are penetrating into their bodies, brain and other body parts.
I see children in the guradwara being handed over their mums mobile phones which they hold to their heads and keep them close to their bodies. In the short run, we are just trying to keep them quiet. In the long run we have robbed them of the opportunity to experience kirtan because their mind is tuned to the device. Any chance then that the child will go on to school with attention problems because we have not given them the opportunity to just sit and listen.
The amount of digital usage in schools is appalling too. The children stare onto the white board and read and copy stuff from there. In our days - watching films was a treat. These days it is as essential as food itself. The amount of cartoons and other fast moving images which our children watch affects brain development. We even have to teach them the alphabet using alphablocks.
Working with paper and pencil seems boring to some kids. Therefore this digital addiction can just be a silent bomb waiting to explode on us. Speech and behaviour problems are the result of such exposure. This can be the case where the TV and other digital devices are used as baby sitting helpers for long periods of time.
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