The Internet and Life
When the idea of writing this article first crossed my mind, I recalled an old program produced by Kuwait Television called “Science and Life.” This program was a school in its own right; we used to wait for each episode every week, notebook and pen in hand, to record information and later discuss it. In those days, science progressed slowly, calmly, and with respect for the intellect. Today, however, there is Google and artificial intelligence.
One day, I decided to conduct a personal experiment in daily life, staying away from the internet. I turned it off in the place where I live to see how life would proceed. In the first hour, silence was the heaviest guest: no notifications, no messages dancing across the screen, and no breaking news appearing suddenly. I began to hear the sounds around me—the hum of the fan, the sound of my footsteps in the house, and my neighbors talking through their windows—things we used to hear long ago but had stopped noticing.
I discovered that my hand would involuntarily reach for my phone more than twenty times, as if searching for something lost. Each time, I remembered that there was no internet, and then I would return to the nearest book, which had been sitting on the shelf for months. Strangely and noticeably, time seemed to expand. The hour that used to fly by between video clips now felt long enough to spend considerable time reading a full chapter or visiting friends without taking photos.
On the street, the equation changed. Previously, I would walk while browsing apps; today, I walk while observing, looking at people’s faces, and paying attention to life and nature.
My sense of time shifted after disconnecting from the internet, and my sense of life changed as well. I found myself with ample time to read many newspapers, handle some postponed transactions, and visit government offices. It was there that the shock hit me. When I went to finalize a transaction at one of these offices, the employee asked me to follow up on the process through a link to the government application. This meant I had to return to the internet to complete the transaction. At the same time, I received a call from work asking me to monitor the status of a request for one of my employees and to sign electronically. I also remembered that I needed to pay certain mandatory obligations online.
At that moment, I realized that the internet is not just for luxury; it has become essential infrastructure, like electricity and water, which we cannot do without.
This experiment was not a call to cut off the internet forever, but rather an invitation to restore balance, take only what we need from it, and not surrender ourselves to entertainment apps. We must remember that we once lived in a time when we thirsted for specific information, whereas today, thanks to the internet, we are drowning in a treasure trove of information.
What if everyone designated a day to disconnect from the outside world? Or even spent a few hours away from screens and the internet, paying attention to those around us, returning to reading books, or engaging in manual activities, thereby restoring our ability to think independently? Without a doubt, those hours would be creative when you recall beautiful things and experience them anew.
You will notice, after completing the designated time for the screen-free and social media-free experiment, that you were essentially fasting from life. As soon as you pick up your device again, you will be overwhelmed by a sense of happiness and well-being. It is indeed a useful experience.
What is required of us is to choose the appropriate times to use the internet and engage in digital research, rather than using it at all times. This means not bringing it with you to the mosque, which is a time for worship, and not using it during gatherings with family and friends, nor underestimating the importance of being present.
May God protect Kuwait and its people from all harm.
