'Internet is actually making us more social'

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A Chinese version of the book “Wasting Time on the Internet,” recently published by Beijing United Publishing Company, showcases a different way to view one of our favorite pastimes — exploring the internet and social media for hours.

Kenneth Goldsmith, the book's author, conceptual artist, poet, and teacher at the University of Pennsylvania, sees our "wasted" time differently.

The original version and Chinese translated version of the book/ Amazon Photo

Conventional notions that people surfing the internet are wasting time and cellphones are turning people into zombies have more or less become mainstream.

The book, however, illustrates how our time on the web is not a waste of time, but can be quite productive and creative if the experience is put in its proper theoretical and philosophical context.

“Many people feel guilty after spending hours watching cat videos or clicking link after link," the book's cover explains. "Unlike old media, the Internet demands active engagement — and it is actually making us more social, more creative, even more productive.”

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