Life with/without Internet

[Amanda]

Two questions for people to respond to: 

1. How has internet usage affected your life (good and bad)?
2. What do you think your life would be like without Internet?

I know internet usage for me has been a mixed bag.  I enjoy being able to talk to friends and family all over the world, being able to access news as it hits news sites, being able to look up what to do if my 9 month old won't stop screaming, etc.  This is a wonderful time to live in.

At the same time, Internet usage has definitely affected my sleep patterns.  I don't get the quality of sleep I used to before having a smartphone.  When I feel anxious or depressed, I will scroll and scroll, and I usually feel worse by the time I'm off my phone.  I love all things in The Great Outdoors, but haven't spent enough time out there since joining Twitter. 

My life without the Internet might be in The Great Outdoors, out in the woods. The internet is one of the few things keeping me from living that lifestyle.  That and my husband.  

I'd love to hear your answers! 

[HoudiniDerek]

Dec 27, 2017 10:14:12 GMT -8 Amanda said:

Two questions for people to respond to: 

1. How has internet usage affected your life (good and bad)?
2. What do you think your life would be like without Internet?

I know internet usage for me has been a mixed bag.  I enjoy being able to talk to friends and family all over the world, being able to access news as it hits news sites, being able to look up what to do if my 9 month old won't stop screaming, etc.  This is a wonderful time to live in.

At the same time, Internet usage has definitely affected my sleep patterns.  I don't get the quality of sleep I used to before having a smartphone.  When I feel anxious or depressed, I will scroll and scroll, and I usually feel worse by the time I'm off my phone.  I love all things in The Great Outdoors, but haven't spent enough time out there since joining Twitter. 

My life without the Internet might be in The Great Outdoors, out in the woods. The internet is one of the few things keeping me from living that lifestyle.  That and my husband.  

I'd love to hear your answers! 

I'm reliant on it at times, especially to talk to people, get news updates, etc.  It also keeps me from staying focused some of the time.  That's not the internet's fault, but I use the distraction.

I think that I would be lonelier.  After all, most people chat through Facebook, etc. any more it seems that I could never go back to talking on the phone, writing letters, etc.  While I could do so, I think I would find most people would not make that effort back since the Internet is so much easier and accessible for them.

[Søren]

How has internet usage affected your life (good and bad)

Good. I can talk to people more.  My English and general learning has improved past anything learned in school.  I don't get judge on first sight. I can't think of a bad thing really.

What do you think your life would be like without Internet?

Hell of a lot more lonely. I'm a slight loner anyway but like some conversation. Would have  nobody to talk to other then my mum or cats or dog  lol but I grown up with the internet so its hard to think without it. 

[Bugme]

It was definitely a simpler time before mobile devices and internet. Currently it is a love/hate relationship.

[Artemis]

How has internet usage affected your life (good and bad)?
The only bad I can think of is that I occasionally get overwhelmed with all the bad news and sometimes have trouble tearing myself away for sleep and other responsibilities. But it's been far more good than bad. It's provided employment, let me meet and get to know a whole bunch of really awesome people, it's made keeping in touch with loved ones easier, it's made school a more pleasant experience, and it offers all kinds of entertainment. But some of my most serious relationships have come from the internet when they almost assuredly wouldn't have been made otherwise.

What do you think your life would be like without Internet?
I'll agree with more lonely. Not to mention I'd have serious trouble paying the bills. I could adapt, but a whole lot of things would have to change drastically, and honestly, I don't think I'd like it.

[/deleted/]

To answer;

1. How has internet usage affected your life (good and bad)?

Both, as I am sure many others would say. I was born and raised on the internet, basically. I've been so attached that I've been unhealthy and I've lived with no internet at all, amusing myself with other things in the real world. It has also affected me for the better as a person and I've learned and gained a lot from my time online.

2.  What do you think your life would be like without Internet?

As I said above, I had once lived without internet. I personally don't know because I do somewhat tend to use it as a form of coping and even for escaping.

Would I live with no internet at all again?

Maybe depending on how my real life is.

[🍁🇨🇦 Tai Pan 🇨🇦🍁]

Most days Iam very grateful for the internet then other days i see a few of my friends who are not connected and they seem happy. These friends can get off their assets to go to a bank to pay their bills while other are to involved and pay everything on the internet without going out. I may start paying my bills at the bank instead of being a slave to my computer.

[📚 Dianne 📚]

I am curious about something - have any of you been alive long enough to even know what life was like before the home computer, cell phones or the internet came into being? If you have been - then is your life better now because of the 'net, cells etc?

Shopping is easier, but I'm finding I don't leave the house much anymore. I can work from home, don't need to go out.  I have less close real-time, flesh and blood friends. Going out with someone is frustrating since they are always on their phones with issues that in the past would have waited.

Buying a new car ticked me off because the salesman didn't think I was important enough and kept answering his phone. JMO though.

[Brian]

How has internet usage affected your life (good and bad)?

I've got loads of people with similar interests available to talk to and play games with at any given time. The world's information is at my fingertips or in the palm of my hand no matter where I go. I'm employed for the sole purpose of providing support for this website. What a life! Whee!

I spend a lot of time at home, but I don't really blame the internet for that. It's just the most entertaining means of occupying that time. All of my non-work friends require significant travel time to visit so hanging out with them usually requires advanced scheduling and doesn't happen as often as just talking to them online. The only real alternatives I have apart from lots of driving to hang out with friends are playing guitar, walking around the nearby park for a bit, or playing one of the hundreds of games I need to start or finish. I don't particularly care for books, I don't really watch a lot of TV or movies (I mostly stick to stuff that's available weekly online), and I've never really liked sports. You can attribute me staying at home to me being picky about what activities to indulge in more than anything.

What do you think your life would be like without Internet?

If it just vanished tomorrow? Eh... I might actually complete some of the hundreds of games I own.

If it never existed at all? Dunno, man. That would have to already be reality to know for sure. Internet-related activities are part of my daily routine so it's hard to imagine life without them at this point.

Something else would probably fill the void like I described above. That doesn't guarantee that the new activity would get me out of the house more or anything. I've always been interested in refining my art, music, and programming skills, but my primary drive for all three of those would be for creating video games with them. I've tried my hand at all three and none of them got me out of the house.

Honestly, full-time work eats up free time more than anything. By the time I get home I'm worn out from exercising my brain all day and prefer to relax, so that's where the internet usage comes in. Gotta prolong those nights and weekends.

[Artemis]

Dec 28, 2017 14:57:00 GMT -8 📚 Dianne 📚 said:

I am curious about something - have any of you been alive long enough to even know what life was like before the home computer, cell phones or the internet came into being? If you have been - then is your life better now because of the 'net, cells etc?

Shopping is easier, but I'm finding I don't leave the house much anymore. I can work from home, don't need to go out.  I have less close real-time, flesh and blood friends. Going out with someone is frustrating since they are always on their phones with issues that in the past would have waited.

Buying a new car ticked me off because the salesman didn't think I was important enough and kept answering his phone. JMO though.

Sort of. They were around when I was a kid, I just wasn't allowed to use them, haha. It's hard to say, mostly because my responsibilities and everything independent of the internet are different from when I was a kid, but overall I think things are better. My access to information is easier, my job is easier, I don't feel like it's an all or nothing when it comes to spending time with friends (i.e., if I can't see them in person, it's phone or nothing), all sorts of things. Most inconveniences it brings can be dealt with by spending time with the right people or even just communicating properly.

[schrodinger]

I haven't really noticed a difference either way.

[📚 Dianne 📚]

Dec 28, 2017 16:29:42 GMT -8 Artemis said:

Dec 28, 2017 14:57:00 GMT -8 📚 Dianne 📚 said:

I am curious about something - have any of you been alive long enough to even know what life was like before the home computer, cell phones or the internet came into being? If you have been - then is your life better now because of the 'net, cells etc?

Shopping is easier, but I'm finding I don't leave the house much anymore. I can work from home, don't need to go out.  I have less close real-time, flesh and blood friends. Going out with someone is frustrating since they are always on their phones with issues that in the past would have waited.

Buying a new car ticked me off because the salesman didn't think I was important enough and kept answering his phone. JMO though.

Sort of. They were around when I was a kid, I just wasn't allowed to use them, haha. It's hard to say, mostly because my responsibilities and everything independent of the internet are different from when I was a kid, but overall I think things are better. My access to information is easier, my job is easier, I don't feel like it's an all or nothing when it comes to spending time with friends (i.e., if I can't see them in person, it's phone or nothing), all sorts of things. Most inconveniences it brings can be dealt with by spending time with the right people or even just communicating properly.

See Artemis my problem is that I really CAN see both sides of this...yes I sort of used a 'computerized' cash register when I was 18, but true computers didn't become possible until I was around 30 (or probably even older)  --- so I have spent half of my life or more  truly without them!

I agree with you on a lot of your points -access to information is much easier and convenient.  For me this is extremely important ---buying and reading books is so much easier.

But as far as what you said about the "inconveniences" (rudeness) of phone users - what do you mean about "communicating properly"?

[Artemis]

Dec 30, 2017 4:04:59 GMT -8 📚 Dianne 📚 said:

Dec 28, 2017 16:29:42 GMT -8 Artemis said:

Sort of. They were around when I was a kid, I just wasn't allowed to use them, haha. It's hard to say, mostly because my responsibilities and everything independent of the internet are different from when I was a kid, but overall I think things are better. My access to information is easier, my job is easier, I don't feel like it's an all or nothing when it comes to spending time with friends (i.e., if I can't see them in person, it's phone or nothing), all sorts of things. Most inconveniences it brings can be dealt with by spending time with the right people or even just communicating properly.

See Artemis my problem is that I really CAN see both sides of this...yes I sort of used a 'computerized' cash register when I was 18, but true computers didn't become possible until I was around 30 (or probably even older)  --- so I have spent half of my life or more  truly without them!

I agree with you on a lot of your points -access to information is much easier and convenient.  For me this is extremely important ---buying and reading books is so much easier.

But as far as what you said about the "inconveniences" (rudeness) of phone users - what do you mean about "communicating properly"?

Oh, I just meant that if someone is always distracted or on their phone or something to the point where it's an issue, I can just tell them about it. People are usually pretty reasonable. So I guess I don't really consider it a woe of modern technology any more than any other habit that can be helped by being direct with people (though growing up with this tech/culture could make me biased).

I'm with you on the books! I introduced my mother to the wonderful world of ebooks this Christmas and she's hardly put her Kindle down since. I swore I'd never get an e-reader myself, either, but two Kindles and hundreds of books later...

[🍁🇨🇦 Tai Pan 🇨🇦🍁]

Dec 28, 2017 14:57:00 GMT -8 📚 Dianne 📚 said:

I am curious about something - have any of you been alive long enough to even know what life was like before the home computer, cell phones or the internet came into being? If you have been - then is your life better now because of the 'net, cells etc?

Shopping is easier, but I'm finding I don't leave the house much anymore. I can work from home, don't need to go out.  I have less close real-time, flesh and blood friends. Going out with someone is frustrating since they are always on their phones with issues that in the past would have waited.

Buying a new car ticked me off because the salesman didn't think I was important enough and kept answering his phone. JMO though.

Yes

[📚 Dianne 📚]

Dec 30, 2017 4:37:33 GMT -8 Artemis said:

Dec 30, 2017 4:04:59 GMT -8 📚 Dianne 📚 said:

 I swore I'd never get an e-reader myself, either, but two Kindles and hundreds of books later...

I swore the very same thing - I'm not even going to tell you about my library! If you are on Goodreads let me know who you are so I can befriend you. I'm -- Dianne Socci-Tetro over there.