One of the biggest criticisms of the Internet is that there is no way to get “real life” experiences by using technology. Undoubtedly, it is good to get offline sometimes and explore the non-virtual world, yet the Internet can be a tool for which people can expand their minds and learn how to do things in real-life that they never would have thought about in the absence of the Internet.
Social media sites allow people the opportunity to meet with other people and subsequently exchange information. YouTube, in particular, is a great place for people to share ideas. By watching YouTube it is possible to learn how to sew, or bake, or even paint. Many people have been introduced to new ideas by watching YouTube tutorials and have been convinced to try new things just by seeing how easy the process is on video. For example, many recipes that magazines and cookbooks make out to be very difficult are really quite simple once they are seen on a video tutorial.
YouTube videos (and the Internet in general) can also help parents teach their children new skills. Arts and crafts projects for children are widely available on YouTube for both holidays and every day occasions. Such sources are especially good for parents who homeschool or cyberschool younger children, but the projects can be enjoyed by anyone. What’s more, even people who do not speak English can understand how to make most of the projects due to the fact that most tutorials are explainable via visuals alone. Hence, when someone uploads a YouTube tutorial they are literally “speaking” to the world.
The Internet cannot replace real life but it can certainly help people explore new ideas and thus get better life experiences. If one is interested in starting a new hobby Google and YouTube are great ways to “test the water” and integrate one into a new community. The Internet does have its dangers but it also has many positives that are beneficial for all ages and purposes and those benefits should not be ignored.
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