The internet was created in 1967 as a governmental sponsored university communication network that quickly evolved into a worldwide web that linked the world, transforming the way people live. Today, the average American spends 8-12 hours a day staring at a screen, devoting over a third of their free time to internet use. More than half admit to being addicted to the internet and prefer to communicate digitally rather than in person. Heavy internet users are 2.5 times more likely to be depressed (Wankel 289). Furthermore, numerous human resource studies have indicated that the internet and digital communications that were designed to make work more efficient are blamed for being distracting and preventing people from getting critical tasks …show more content…
Toffler asserted that society is rapidly evolving and experiencing a fundamental structural change to a technology based economy and lifestyle. Like the industrial revolution, this change can overwhelm people. He believed the accelerated pace of technological and social created isolation, stress and disorientation, what he called future shock. An element of future shock is information overload, which is comprised of other distressing experiences of modern life, like choice overload; this is the frozen feeling people get when they see too many different brands of peanut butter at the supermarket. Toffler believes technological progress and other “improvements” are inevitable, but are actually making our lives worse (Toffler 8). The world of technology has evolved rapidly since Toffler’s original warning about the danger of becoming addicted, dependent and overloaded by technology. However, his idea has evolved into clever terms like infobesity, infoxication, "information glut", and "data smog”. These terms all associate technology with negative connotations, implying being dazed and confused by the internet is like being overweight, drunk, confused and