Written
by: Niroshan
Pathberiya
“The
Miracle of Asia’s” most recent record has gained the international attention.Google
trends have revealed that Sri Lanka registers most 'sex' searches on Google!The
entire country is now gob-smacked, including the ones who contributed to this
precious record. “Oh! Did we takeit that far?”
What is intriguing in this “Goolex”
record is that the country which holds is reported to have a considerably less
computer literacy.Sri Lankan Governmenthas already censored and banned the
recognized “porn” websites. The Sri Lankan culture is a descendant of Buddhist
teachings. However, Google tells us a different story; Sri Lankans winning the
gold medal over 150 countries for “Googlexing” even though they failed
Olympics!
The autopsy,however, of this stunningly controversial
issueindicates many causes. PEW Internet Research Center has identified that
most internet “sex” searchers are youths and specially males (between 15-30).The
intensive influence of religions and ancient cultures has made “sex” an
extremely secret and scandalous topic. Parents and children hesitate to talk
about sex.Kids reach puberty, curiosity strikes their minds and when the
curiosity is not clarified, the youth predictably go for available “short-cuts”
for answers, for which internet comes handy.
Furthermore, the purpose of having a computer for most
of the Sri Lankan youths – specially school children – is gaming and
entertainment. The lethargic education system has framed the students to rely
only on text books. Assignments are handwritten, and no influence to acquire
additional information for education. Therefore, computers inevitably become
nothing more than PlayStations, Cinemas and, the worst, “Playboy magazines”.
Seemingly funny but the hidden inside is utterly
dangerous. The immature minds have a lesser sense about what they watch. Youth
always carry an investigational mindset. Since they lack education on sex,
there is a possible risk of them experimenting what they see, read and hear. The
result being, teenage pregnancy, rape cases and, the most hazardous of all, venereal
disease, the society can encounter numerous crises.
However banning computers for teenagers will never be
an effective solution. What is essential isthe maturity in attitudes. Desirous
natures of human cannot be eradicated but can be undermined. That is what
literature, arts, music and other aesthetic elements do. Similarly, the younger
generation’s computer literacy should be converged to effective and useful
works. Blaming the government and/or washing hands of this matter can never
make a prison to these hideous social scandals. Today’s actions can save a
peaceful future.
