Information technology and the Internet are rapidly transforming

Hear the words of John Landgraf, a steward of media and a witness to the upheavals of the digital age. He declared: “Information technology and the Internet are rapidly transforming almost every aspect of our lives—some for better, some for worse.” In these words lies not only observation but warning. For he speaks of a force as vast as fire or flood, one that reshapes the landscape of human existence, bringing both light and shadow, both blessing and burden.

The meaning of his wisdom is clear. The rise of information technology and the Internet has woven itself into the fabric of daily life. It has changed how we learn, how we speak, how we trade, how we love, even how we imagine ourselves. It is like a river that flows into every field, nourishing some lands with abundance while flooding others into ruin. Landgraf reminds us that this transformation is not wholly good, nor wholly evil—it is a dual force, carrying both liberation and enslavement, both enlightenment and confusion.

The origin of such insight is seen in the past few decades. Once, knowledge was stored in libraries, accessible only to those who traveled or who could afford education. Now, through the Internet, information rests in the palm of every hand, available in moments to anyone with a device. This is the promise of progress—an equalizing power that has given the student in a village access to the same wisdom as the scholar in a great city. Yet, at the same time, lies and hatred spread just as quickly, poisoning minds and fracturing communities. Thus Landgraf calls us to discernment: to recognize that what transforms us may either lift or corrupt us.

Consider the story of the Arab Spring. In the early years of the new century, young people in the Middle East turned to social media to share their cries for justice, to organize movements, to topple oppressive regimes. Here, the Internet became a torch of freedom, igniting voices once silenced. But soon, the same tools became weapons in the hands of tyrants, spreading misinformation, sowing fear, and dividing people against one another. This tale stands as living proof that the same river that carries life can also carry death.

The heart of Landgraf’s teaching lies in responsibility. If technology and the Internet are transforming every aspect of our lives, then we must decide how to guide that transformation. To drift blindly is to let the current pull us into darkness. But to navigate with wisdom is to harness these forces for learning, for empathy, for truth. The tools themselves are not destiny—it is our hands, our hearts, and our choices that determine whether the outcome is “for better” or “for worse.”

The lesson is this: be neither naïve nor fearful. Do not worship technology as a savior, nor curse it as a demon. Instead, approach it as one approaches fire—with respect, with caution, and with purpose. Use it to illuminate, not to burn; to connect, not to isolate; to heal, not to wound. Train yourselves and your children to discern truth from falsehood, substance from noise, compassion from cruelty. Only then will the transformation serve humanity rather than enslave it.

Therefore, engrave this truth upon your hearts: the Internet and information technology are mirrors of humanity itself. They reflect both our nobility and our weakness. To shape their legacy, we must shape ourselves. Let every message, every post, every invention carry the mark of responsibility and virtue. For in the end, the tools of this age are not the masters of our fate—we are. And if we guide them with wisdom, the transformation of our lives will indeed be for the better, and not for the worse.