Ophelia

　　From my perspective, I think the action that alienates people from others is not because of the internet itself; it is because of personal subjective behavior. Firstly, the internet is a tool that helps us communicate with each other, and through the internet we can easily find our group. It gives us a sense of belonging in social psychology; belonging means intimacy. So I think the internet does not alienate relationships among people, and it even helps people build close connections and close relationships.

　　We need to tell the difference. The basic reason is the way humans use the internet, not the internet itself. The internet is a convenient communication method, but in this process, some people do not make use of it; they are addicted to the internet, or they don't know how to build a healthy relationship. So, of course, in the alienation, the internet itself does not alienate relationships among people.

　　Good morning, everyone. As the affirmative side, I firmly believe that the internet alienates relationships among people. First, it creates absent presence: we are physically together but just have some inaudible. Second, it replaces deep companionship with shallow interaction.

　　Because after the Internet, we often spend more time on the Internet and don’t talk with our friends or family. So you think it is because we use the phone to do other things that we don’t communicate with our family, and so we alienate from our friends and family.

　　Yes. Even when you spend time with your friends, you can stop looking at your phone; there is a message. So your opinion is that the phone and the Internet will disturb our attention so that we alienate from others. But I don’t agree with that. I don’t think distracted attention is alienation. For example, I have a best friend; we have known each other for 80 years. We don’t have time to meet face to face, but we still remember each other and we always have a happy time, so our relationship has not become alienated.

　　Before the Internet, when you spent time with your friends, you had no other interruption between you and your friends. But maybe there is a message or a phone for you, so you have to stop and look at your phone. So this attention will still be—no, I don’t agree with that. Even if before the Internet we had a lot of ways to communicate, to entertain ourselves, to communicate with each other—the way might just be by emails or letters—the Internet helps us communicate with each other. Before the Internet, how could people see each other? Is it because of the Internet that people are alienated from others? What other reasons were there before the Internet? Those emails or letters are just communication rules, but the Internet is not like that; it is a social platform where you can connect with each other in any way you want. It is not like before; it is a social platform. I think the Internet is not just social communication. The Internet has a lot of functions in our life, and what function it has is decided by how we use it. If you don’t use it to communicate or develop your relationship, your time will be used up and a lot of time passes; so that time—a lot of time—could be spent with your friends.

　　So I want to ask you a question: if someone uses a knife to commit a crime, can we blame the knife? No, we can’t; it’s the man’s responsibility. In the same way, the Internet is just a tool; you can also blame that man. You should look at how a man grows up, in which situation, and how the family—maybe if parents didn’t educate him very well, so he will use the knife to kill people; so that’s the reason. You can’t look at only one person to judge it; you can also look at the school background and the environment, and this is just…

　　Okay, first, you mentioned that the internet is a tool, but it's not a neutral tool. It will have some impact on ourselves. It is designed by engineers; they spend more money and attention to develop this app, and it's all for you to be addicted so that you spend more time on it, and they will earn more money. Maybe you can control yourself, and it doesn't directly make you addicted, but indirectly it will steal your attention away from the people in front of you.

　　Yes, I agree with you. The internet actually will make us addicted to it. But in the moment you choose to watch TV or play games but don't choose to communicate with your friends and family at that time, then it causes alienation. That's your choice, right? It's not the internet. The internet does not make the final decision, and you're the designer, right?

　　Yeah, you say we can choose not to use it, but what about the social pressure? Anyone around you—you should reach out/chat to communicate with. Look around the world, and everyone just has a focus. Therefore, can you force it? So you're forced to participate. So it's not a free choice; it's a social application, so we have to use it.

　　So your opinion is that because of the internet, it makes us disrupt our attention, then we have an alienation relationship with others. But I don't agree with that. Just for example, I have a best friend; we have eight years—we don't meet face to face. But even if sometimes we have a call and I receive some message and I have to deal with this message, it doesn't mean our relationship is alienated from each other. You know, we also remember each other's important points, and we always have a good time, and our relationships have also become closer because of the internet. So what do you think about why the internet will disrupt our attention but it is alienation? Do you agree with that?

　　I think it is a distracting effect that has an impact on ourselves. You mentioned that you and us—it's been a long time you didn't see each other. Maybe that's because of the internet: you haven't seen each other; you want to stay at home and don't want to go out to make friends. That is an internet effect. Well, still, attention—just play some games at home or watch videos and don't have more time with your friends, okay?

　　Just so you see, yes, I have a best friend; we have a lot of time we don't meet, and one of the reasons is because we're in different cities. But that makes us have some distance. But the internet does not alienate our relationship. But in this process, even if sometimes our attention is distracted by the internet, but in this time even if I choose to watch TV or watch some short videos, that's our choice; it's not the internet itself, yeah.

　　Maybe you can control screen time; you can come to see how the internet will redefine your relationship. Before the internet, you can meet in person; but after the internet, when you make friends on the internet, you will redefine this relationship, especially the intimacy. When you didn't reply to someone instantly, maybe people will call you cold, okay. Like you see, we can organize our time, but it's like, say, it is our choice, so the internet is just a tool to us, right?

　　Okay everyone, we must tell the difference. The basic reason is the human—it is the way we use the internet, not the internet itself. It's just like if someone uses a knife to commit a crime, can we blame a knife? No, it's the human's responsibility.

　　The internet is a tool to help us communicate with each other and make our lives easier. So I think the internet does not alienate relationships.