– What is the reason why nowadays the society prefers the virtual life than the reality?
– The reality in the electronic world differs from the reality in normal life with the levels of thinking. In the virtual world the relations are built through the computer, in other words it is not a relation from person to person, but from person to computer and from computer to person. In this case it is about a little bit sentimental reaction and mostly well-thought reaction and answers. In other words, in the real life sometimes you may deal with feelings which are out of the sentimental control. The relation between a man and computer is a preliminarily planned virtual reality, which is more ideal than the normal real life. According to psychology, the human being tends to ideal situation and power. In the virtual world the man can act as his role model he has been dreaming of, which results in tight connection with the computer.
– Does the virtual world give an opportunity to pretend ideal?
– The virtual world has two interesting priorities. On the one hand, we are in the virtual world and we can demonstrate not the real world but the one we wanted to see. In the real world the relations of people are multi-layer, which is about emotions as well, which are “filtered” in the virtual world. It can be considered hallucination but not like a sickness because these are agreed. One of the reasons why the Internet attracts people is the fact that people are free there notwithstanding their complexes. In the virtual world the sense of responsibility of people is lower. In the real life people are careful and they feel responsibility for the future for what they have said, but in case of the virtual relations, they can just leave the virtual world simply by pressing a button.
– Does the human being feel more protected?
– In the virtual world people may allow themselves very extreme things as their priorities and desires are. There are people who are digging in scientific sites, others like arts, and some people like porn sites. The Internet network gives the opportunity to every kind of men to express themselves. Accordingly, people get self-satisfaction through self-delusion.
– Can it be addicting?
– Yes.
– Often not only teenagers are addicted to the Internet but the intellectual groups of the society as well. Why?
– In many cases the computer becomes like a person, a partner. Even there are people who talk to the computer and thank it. For example, Belgian scientists have found out that notebooks are bought more by men than women and they are suggesting to take this fact into consideration when designing notebooks to remind the breasts of women.
– Is Internet addiction a sickness?
– Two years ago two big congresses were convened to discuss whether addictiobn to the Internet is considered to be a sickness. This addiction means that the person is connected to the computer, is isolated from the social life and society for a long time. The privilege of the virtual world is the fact that the person is the one who can totally control the processes. In normal life there are rules that people cannot abide, but in the virtual world these are minimum.
– How can you explain the fact that even children are addicted to the Odnoklassniki.ru web site which is very popular? Children have sexual desires and expectations from this site when they are not still mature. Isn’t it dangerous?
– The danger comes from the possibility that children may get information through the Internet, which may impact their system of values. There are also cases when children are dating, which may bring to negative results as well. Sometimes they use erotic sites, which can have serious negative influence in their sexual education. There are a lot of concerns about this. For example, there are sites which are campaigning for satanism. I have met such thing in my experience. On the other hand, the Odnoklassniki has positive sides too.
– What do you think about the fact that people have started writing with computers?
– I think from the very beginning there was romanticism in the base of the Odnoklassniki, when classmates, who did not have information about each other during many years could find each other. Now this site has lost its initial goal and has become a venue for different advertisements and forums. Unfortunately nowadays the Internet is full of not only constructive materials but also destructive ones as well. In Armenia the filters are missing, which could limit the age of people who can use such sites. Now it is not strange that a child may introduce himself as an adult. In developed European countries there are no such cases. There is no criticism to the Internet in our country. In this situation the solution can be the family control, when parents may control the time their children are using the Internet.
– But very often parents even encourage people and they are happy that their children can use the Internet.
– Parents have to also have open conversations with their children. In this situation parents bear a big responsibility for what their children are learning. Are we suggesting an alternative to the Internet or we are creating a vacuum by prohibiting them to use Internet? In families people should create an environment, in which children would feel pleasure to stay with them but not look for something else in the Internet. If there are many conflicts in a family, their children will try to get the compensation for this love from the Internet.
– However the virtual world can result in a tragedy in the real world as well, and an example is the incident that happened in Gyumri last year, when there was a conflict in the Odnoklassniki web site, later it continued in the real life, as a result of which a young man was killed. How can the situation be controlled?
– I can’t maky any comments about it because I don’t know anything about that incident. As an example I can refer to the suicide commited by a child in Shengavit community, who committed suicide because her school graduation mark was not good. In this case you can’t say that this was the only reason, there may be a lot of hidden reasons as well.
– How can the danger of Internet addiction of children be prevented?
– Going back I would like to repeat again that families should control the Internet sites where their children are spending their time.