Introduction:
Due to the growth of globalisation in the world today different kinds of invention and development come up. The world is becoming more and more advance in terms of technology, as it is regarded as the age of computer. Today, mobile phones, desktop computers, hand held devices, emails and the use of Internet etc. has become a central part of our culture and society. These technologies play a vital role in our day to day operations. People in the society are very much influence by this ICT. This paper will discuss the impact of ICT in the society giving special reference to the Kuki community.
1. Definition and meaning of Information Communication Technology?
Information communications technology is the study, development and application of computer-based information systems using telephones, televisions, radios, mobiles, computers and computer software to convert, store, process, protect and transmit information.[1] Information and communication technology - or ICT in short is the term that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and applications associated with them, such as videoconferencing and distance learning. [2]Information and communication technology today usually means computer-based management of data or ideas. In a broader sense, communication and information technologies are the foothold on which humankind distinguished itself from other animals.[3] ICT tools can be used to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information responsibly and without discrimination. ICT can be employed to give users quick access to ideas and experiences from a wide range of people, communities and cultures.[4]
2.Different kinds of I.C.T. tools:
There are certain kinds of Information communication Technology tools which help people in their works in various ways. Information communication Technology may includes Television, Radio, Telephone/Mobile phone, Computer/laptop, Internet facilities, emails, instant messaging (IM), Chat rooms and social networking websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, Skype, iPhones, cellular phones and similar other applications.
3. Significance of ICT:
Although modern information and communication technology drives a competitive marketplace, it still provides our best basis for cooperation, much as it did when our ancestors first shared common understandings for familiar sounds. Today, we cooperate to exchange far more than words. From the discovery of unseen minerals deep in the ground to the safe transit of aircraft overhead, information and communication technologies drive modern culture. High above the atmosphere, satellites gather even more information, and facilitate communication in the world below. According to the World Bank, Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, called burgeoning information and communication technologies "the single most important new development tool that has come along in our generation."[5]
4. Who a re the Kukis?
Since we are going to discuss about the impact of ICT in the Kuki society, it is important to know who the kukis are. The Kukis are an ethnic group that spread throughout the North-eastern region of India, Northwest Burma and Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. In Northeast India they are present in all the states except Arunachal Pradesh. The term Kuki refers to "Hills-men" comprising numerous clans. These clans share a common past, culture, customs and tradition. They speak in dialects that have a common root language belonging to the Tibeto-Burman group. The Kukis have Mongoloid features and are generally short-stature with straight black hair and dark brown eyes. They spread out in the contiguous regions of Northeast India, Northwest Burma (Myanmar), and the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. They are most prominent in Manipur, Nagaland, Assam and Mizoram. Kuki is composed of many different entities and clans.[6]
5. The Impact of Information Communication Technology in the Kuki Society:
Information communication Technology has a great impact in the society especially in the life of the Kuki community. Since the world is globalized it is also necessary for the people to adjust with the change of trends. In many ways this I.C.T help people to ease their works and at he same time, the same ICT also can bring destruction to the society. Thus, taking into account the society of Kuki, we will bring out some of the positive and negative impacts on how information communication Technology affects the life community of the Kukis.
5.1. Positive Impact of I.C.T:
5.1.1. Globalization - ICT has not only brought the world closer together, but it has allowed the world's economy to become a single interdependent system. This means that we can not only share information quickly and efficiently, but we can also bring down barriers of linguistic and geographic boundaries. The world has developed into a global village due to the help of information technology.
5.1.2. Faster communication speed- With the internet, news or messages are sent via e-mails to friends, business partners or to anyone within no time. And the people are making use of it. With the capability of broadband and connection speed on the internet, any information can travel fast. It saves time and is inexpensive.
5.1.3. Lower communication cost- using internet is less expensive than others such as phone, mailing or courier service. With internet we do not have to pay for any basic services provided by internet. Furthermore the cost of connection to the internet is relatively cheap. People opt for ICT rather than through post or mailing because it is low.
5.1.4. Effective sharing of information- With the advancement of ICT, information can be share by people all around the world. By listening radio, watching TV news etc. people can share and exchange opinions, news and information. This enable people to be broader minded.
5.1.5. Paperless Environment- This term means information can be stored and received through digital medium instead of paper. Online communication via e-mails, online chat and instant messaging also helps in creating paperless environment.
5.1.6. Education/ knowledge improvement- with the introduction of ICT a person can learn many things from the internet. Day after day by inquiring the net the knowledge kept on increasing. It also develops the thinking of a person to be more advance than before.
5.2. Negative impact of ICT:
5.2.1. Health problems- A computer, TV, mobile etc may harm users if they used it for long hours frequently. Especially Computer users are also exposed to bad posture, eyestrain, physical and mental stress. It leads a person to obtain different kinds of health problems.
5.2.2. Pornography- With the internet facility through computers, or through disc one can watch or check dirty pictures and videos. That makes the person to posses’ bad and wrong thoughts in his or her minds. It really affects a person life.
5.2.3. Waste of time- A People tends to forget the things happening around him/her when he/she is too much concentrating on the things he/she watches. By watching movies, sports, news, playing games etc. a person usually try to ignore his/her studies, Works, attending church and different kinds of purposes. It really disturbs a person and it becomes negative in terms of time management if one does not know how to control over it.
5.2.4. Nowadays people tend to choose online communication rather than having real time conversations. They hardly go out of their room and spent time with their families and friends. People tend to become more individualistic and introvert.
5.2.5. ICT had also created more illegal act such as hacking, identity theft, and also opening other account and playing prank and disturbing people.
Conclusion: ICT has made global social and cultural interaction very easy. We now live in an interdependent global society, where people can interact and communicate swiftly and efficiently. News and information can now be transmitted in minutes. Individuals can easily stay in contact with members of their families who reside in other countries or make new friends across the world. Our world today has changed a great deal with the aid of information technology. Things that were once done manually or by hand have now become computerized operating systems, which simply require a single click of a mouse to get a task completed. On the other hand knowing the negative aspects we should be careful in how we control or handle our ICT tools. We should not let ICT control us and we should know our limit.
Webliography
http://www.ehow.com/facts_7453027_advantages-disadvantages-information-communication-technology.html (1st August 2011).
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100529002133AAwyRYt (1 August 2011).
http://What is the Meaning of Information Communication Technology /eHow_com.mht (25 July 2011).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuki_peoples (1st August 2011).
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