Dilemma of a Scholar Who Lives on the Internet

[Oluwatoyin Adepoju]

Dilemma of a Scholar Who Lives on the Internet

Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju 

Youth in much younger generations than myself are at times described as addicted to their phones and as in capable of engaging knowledge beyond the quick fix the information highway provides.

I wonder, though, if this description does not relate to me, to a degree.

The phone has  become a part of me. I am able to do so much with it in terms of creating, enjoying and sharing.

But I need to return to the culture of reading outside the swift information and entertainment provided by my phone. 

The offerings of the phone are so mesmeric, short, to the point and infinitely delightful, taking you all over the world in a few minutes by navigating the right apps.

One can also do depth reading on a phone or digital device, given the endless supply of PDF files and serious materials on some sites.

I find, however, that I am under the influence of the quick fix of Facebook videos and updates, You Tube music and at times Tik Tok and Instagram images and sound- all so delightful and always providing a new window on an aspect of human experience.

I have many print books but my reading of them is nowhere near what it was before I began to live online, since I recall the days before the Internet and social media.

What now?

I realize I can't maximize my learning potential and the growth of my mind if I don't take drastic steps.

What am I thinking?

In the past, serious non-fiction as well as fiction of some depth were primary means of recreation for me.

Will I need to resist the urge to pivot to Facebook or Google News when I want to relax, priceless as they are for both local and international news and effortless entertainment?

Will I need to create special time to read books, go through my physical library, reading anything I like as I used to do?

I love the Internet and the information and entertainment ease of the phone. 

Most of my publications as a scholar are self published on the web even though I love print books.

I have shared online  pictures and videos taken by myself constituting the most extensive visual archive on or  related to the great Nigerian artist Bruce Onobrakpeya.

A publication achieved with the utmost ease  on Google Photos and deftly shared on various platforms.

It would be great to also publish this as a print  book.

How can I adequately navigate the digital and the non-digital worlds?