This Modern World Today's world is very modern; we have television, computers and a wide variety of electronic devices at our fingertips. How do these modern wonders affect society for better or worse? Or does one have a worse effect on society than the other, such as television versus the Internet? Both television and the Internet have pros and cons. Television can be very educational, but at the same time it can be a mind-warping addiction. The same goes for the Internet which is a strong form of addiction but is also an excellent means of communication. Speaking primarily about the Internet and its effects on people, both Brent Staples and Janna Smith have written articles covering these topics. Agree and also disagree on some aspects of the topic. Both young teenagers and adults use the Internet perhaps for different reasons, each potential aspirant affects both, varying from good to bad. These affects consist of: possible isolation from others, increase or decrease in the quality of relationships or even loss of vital socialization experiences. Staples states in his article (What Teenagers Miss When We Let Them Grow Up in Cyberspace) that the Internet is more isolating than television. She states that “online shopping, checking email, and browsing the web—primarily solitary activities—have proven more isolating than watching television, which friends and family often do in groups” (296). In other words, people are more often choosing to do all these things online rather than doing activities with family. Someone or a group of people who were isolated before being introduced to the Internet can in turn enrich your social life. While for a young person who knows how to let himself get carried away and indulge in...... middle of paper...... time spent online; in fact he says that he "enjoys" his time with it, even going so far as to say that it is a "part of their family" (332). You avoid avoiding crowds of shops and running into people you haven't seen for years and wouldn't want to see anyway. Not only does it not affect her personal emotional health, but it is very comfortable for her. Staples agrees with the study suggested in Smith's article, but I strongly disagree on the underlying argument. Work Cited Staples, Brent. “What Teenagers Miss When Growing Up in Cyberspace.” Choices: A basic writing guide with readings. 4th ed. Ed. Kate Mangelsdorf and Evelyn Posey. Boston: Bedford, 2008. 295-7. PrintSmith, Janna Malamud. “Online but not antisocial.” Choices: A basic writing guide with readings. 4th ed. Ed. Kate Mangelsdorf and Evelyn Posey. Boston: Bedford, 2008. 332-4. Press