With the shift from the print culture where the focus was on books and periodicals to the Internet culture, the Kingdom has become one of the leading countries in the Arab world in terms of Internet usage. It now ranks second in terms of the number of subscribers and users, according to an annual Arab economic report.
The question we need to ask ourselves is whether this position reflects an attitude of consumerism or if it reflects a growing awareness of the importance of information technology. Gulf societies are well-known for being addicted to the latest in everything, from fancy expensive cars to every kind of imaginable consumer good.
Is our use of the Internet yet another indication of this consumerism? The answer depends of course on how the Internet is used. I am not aware of any reliable studies on the kinds of Internet sites visited by Gulf users — but there is great difference between using a site to chat and surfing the Internet looking for useful information.
The Internet has led to a real breakthrough in the way people have access to information. With almost every newspaper and publication anywhere in the world now appearing on the Internet, people are able to access news and information from every corner of the world and are becoming more and more aware of developments and trends in other places.
Tiny countries such as Sao Tome and Principe are attracting public attention, as happened recently when the archipelago off the coast of Africa was in the news following a military coup. Thanks to the Internet, you can now invest in international stock markets from your hotel room on a remote island where you are vacationing.
At the same time, however, the Internet may prove to be the biggest time waster in human history. Many spend long hours chatting with others on trivial matters while others use the Internet just to impress others with their familiarity with, and ability to handle, modern technology. There even are those who keep computers in conspicuous places without even knowing how to operate the machine, let alone use the keyboard. Let us hope that Gulf countries’ leading position in the use of the Internet is an indication of a real awareness and consciousness of the world rather than just another sign of consumerism.
