Love it or hate it, the Internet has become a huge part of our lives. I’ve had time to ruminate on this as my internet has been out of action for the last three or four days when my Bigpond Network Gateway gave way.
I’ve been desolate without it. I feel lost, alone and out of touch with the world. This sense of loss I find very disturbing. Perhaps it’s simply because I live in an isolated area and the internet provides me with the connection to people and places that I lack due to this isolation. Or, have I tied myself inextricably to this way of being?
So many times a day, I want to hop on the internet to check or discuss a recipe on one of my forums, contact a business, check something on Google, flick off an email, check the weather, find out the price of something, and much, much more.
Almost every business has a website where you can access contact & company details at your leisure. Almost everyone has an email address, many people have joined Facebook. People are contactable 24/7 through any number of ways via the internet.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I really don’t know. For a business, it’s effective since people can check your products out any time of the day, not matter what time zone they’re in. I love that I can purchase products online any time of the day or night, especially with WA’s draconian shopping hours legislation.
Facebook is a concern. Every single photo, comment, status update etc is on the internet forever. The main server for Facebook, owned by Mark Zuckerburg, contains every piece of private information that you have in your profile and everything you’ve ever typed or uploaded. Isn’t that just a little bit scary?
I’m constantly amazed at the amount of people who chronicle their mundane little lives on Facebook. I do it myself on occasion, but not to the extent that many others do. One person who I’ve since “unfriended” detailed her whole marriage breakdown, minute by minute via her iPhone. It was excruciating to read.
That’s why I like having a blog. I can scream, shout, whinge, celebrate and commiserate and no one needs to read it if they don’t want. My blog is mainly about food, my main passion. But, as with most passionate people, I do like to air my views on other issues that affect me or that I feel are unjust or just plain stupid.
How funny Meg, I've been pondering the good, the bad and the ugly of cyberspace myself over the past few days. I too would be lost without it, I use it to keep in touch with the world, my family and my friends. But the dark side of the internet is encouraging a society who can hide behind the written word, and never need to pick up the phone or speak to someone in person. Will our kids kids lack communication and social skills as they spend more time texting, messaging and emailing and less time catching up with their friends? With the click of a button it is now far too easy to share personal details about ourselves and others. Things we otherwise wouldn't share in a public setting.
I'm by no means against technology, just the ease with which it can be misused. I can just picture myself in 50 years time explaining to my grandkids what a written letter is, and having them laugh at how old fashioned my life was as a child. Does anyone ever write letters anymore..?
Yes, Aunty Susie still writes letters. She loathes the internet, email and blogs. She refuses to read mine, even though it's about food, her favourite subject!
Perhaps the times will turn full circle and letter writing will become THE retro thing to do. Everything else retro is fashionable lately!
The internet has great qualities, for the information highway, you can't beat it. The Facebook updates, drive me insane, always say I am going to get rid of the application but it is also a good way to keep in touch with those far away friends. I just really don't need to know every little detail of their day. I don't care if you have just had a latte and are now going to Costco.
Like you I am lost when my internet isn't working or away from a connection, has become a bit of a life line for so much I guess.