Today's topic is how important the internet is for our daily lives. The internet has become a crucial part of our lives, and nowadays we've forgotten how to live without it. It's become a major part of our daily routine. Checking messages as soon as we wake up in the morning, attending online classes, or watching videos that last all night. Therefore, doing anything without the internet is impossible these days. Mobile phones, laptops, and even PCs simply aren't there without the internet. Nothing can be done on them, and the internet is the only way we connect with each other. In today's times, connections are made through the internet, and in this modern world, where we can do everything from home, this too can only happen through the internet.
What used to happen in the old normal? If one person wanted to meet another, they had to wait. Meaning, they could only meet face-to-face after that. I know many people who have never met in their lives. I mean, they would get married. They never met. Many people like that, and it was a big deal. The first one either died. After that, if I saw them, many would really visit each other, and they wouldn't go out much. But what has happened today? With video calls and WhatsApp, they can see each other every day. And in a way, it's a good thing that they don't see anyone. My mother's mother lived far away, so meeting every day was impossible. But in today's time, with video calls and all this, all this is possible only on the internet.
How much help does education get? Because of the internet, in today's time, where earlier classes used to be held only offline, many people had to sit in very congested areas, and we were forced to study in such places where there were not enough facilities, but in today's time, through online classes on YouTube, we can do any online process, and we can read recorded lectures of any book or textbook, and all this is so easy and so helpful for us. Suppose a child used to go to study very far away, but in today's time, he is studying just by sitting at his home and in today's time.
We, the new generation, wouldn't even be surprised to be without the internet, because we weren't. The internet had evolved by that time, and those from earlier times could live and survive for a while. But the new generation is absolutely not without it. I see in many places today, if your Wi-Fi recharge runs out one day and your phone doesn't have internet, it's like your house is up in smoke. If you don't recharge suddenly, it feels like you haven't done anything. Social media, sex, and posting on Instagram—all these things have become so important today that people have forgotten how to be normal. Phones have become so important that people have forgotten how to interact with each other. They're always online, and today's people, especially children, are playing so many games that they're beyond comprehension. They play so many games that they spend 13 hours a day playing games.
And the biggest beneficiaries are those in business or those who work. Previously, businessmen would have to travel long distances to attend a meeting, and even if it wasn't a meeting, they would still be able to meet. But today, with work from home, remote offices, and virtual meetings, the internet has made it possible. We can complete meetings so quickly, and it also saves us money. If someone were to open a company today, their biggest challenge would be how to reduce their employees. However, a smart company will pay slightly more for work from home, and they will have people working from home. So much better technology has come along. Doesn't a laptop monitor today even measure how much work has been done? Newbies also save money on other things, and all this has gradually benefited us.
Personally, what I like most is the digitalization of banking. Previously, I used to forget cash or forget letters when withdrawing cash, and that would cause a lot of problems. But nowadays, UPI payments are a cash-friendly system thanks to online transfers and net banking. I like UPI the most because it's accepted everywhere. Even if you go shopping for vegetables, it's accepted there. UPI has become so easy these days. What all do you need to do? Book a ticket. If you're a UPSC student, you'll need UPS. To send money to someone, we can send it using UPI, and since we don't pay any extra money, everything is free, and so much paperwork is saved. That's why the internet has become so important these days, from banks to everything else. We even have to go out of the house these days to cook food. Get it done from home. Whatever you need to do, it will be done from home, and all this has become faster and more accessible only because of the internet.
