Does The Internet Have A Lot To Answer For?

[Quenched]

Since the birth of the internet we seemed to have lost more than we have gained. 

 

Where do I start, we have lost actual banks due to online banking, physical record shops due to streaming. Even our television viewing is being affected.

Its fair to say mobile phones killed off public phones, and the Internet is killing land line phones. 

All these changes in my mind are bad for mental health because people don't socialise in the same way because we have chosen convenience over socialising. 

Is there a reason to actually go out anymore, because we can even organise and get our groceries delivered online. 

Buy just about everything online, we don't need to go out. 

 

What is all this leading up to?

 

I think we are heading into very worrying times, because if one day our infrastructure is completely reliant on the Internet/broadband/WiFi, and that infrastructure is compromised, we will be running around like headless chickens, because we will have become so reliant on the Internet to run our lives, we won't be able to live.

Am I over reacting I hear you say? Personally I don't think I am over acting at all.

 

We are basically setting ourselves up for the perfect disaster, and already countries like Russia would gladly destroy our broadband cables deep within the oceans. 

 

We are basically putting all our eggs in one basket, and that basket is the internet. 

 

How foolish can we be? 

[wolf63]

The internet is a tool.  It has given us access to information and has improved life for so many people.

Its here - learn to use it to make your life simpler.

Or you could just continue to find fault with every change or technological achievement because you don't like change.

 

[Quenched]

wolf63, 

But I do think about this a lot. 

Mental health issues seem to be constantly rising, in fact I didn't hear of mental health problems when I was a child, yet its always on the agenda today. 

Hasent society brought this on ourselves because the Internet has favoured convenience over socialising. 

 

I do observe these things. 

 

Obviously progression or change happens otherwise we would be living in a cave, but I do now think we have reached a peak of life, and are now setting ourselves up for disaster. 

 

How many people actually have a garden and grow their own food anymore?

 

Its quite strange when you think about it because we have everything made convenient for us, yet our hectic lives seem to be gone into over drive. 

 

But its not hectic in a healthy way for our mental health. 

 

We are now living like there will be no tomorrow. 

 

We need to look back at our past generations lived, my Mum washed all our clothes in the sink, we didn't have a washing machine. 

We didn't have colour tv until the 80's. 

 

I think we need to all pinch ourselves and look at what we are doing to our planet in these power hungry times. 

[Maydup]

For me the internet and our connectivity is now a vital utility, as important  as electricity, gas, and water. 

[Quenched]

Maydup, 

Exactly, but because the Internet is a vital utility are we not making ourselves vulnerable?

And we are now a very throw away society, the minute something gets invented via the use of the Internet something gets discarded like the latest threat is a television. 

Can you please imagine millions of televisions going to land fill that will do a real bad thing for the planet. And I bet most of those televisions were still functional. 

[calmck]

I think parents are not responsible enough with the internet access and mobile phone usage they allow their children. They also use theses rather than interacting with children.

Phones should be banned in classrooms, being used when interacting with sales people in stores etc. at tables in restaurents etc.

Our recent complete outage here was an inconvenience for work and banking etc and travel but people went to cafes and interacted with others,returning later to pay their bills

[calmck]

We also dont need all these influencers postingall manner of nonsense and why are so many of the dying young

[Ludocruz]

@ Quenched

"If one day our infrastructure is completely reliant on the Internet/broadband/WiFi, and that infrastructure is compromised, we will be running around like headless chickens, because we will have become so reliant on the Internet to run our lives, we won't be able to live."

Absolutely agree with this 🫣🙏🤔

 

[jno]

Maydup, I agree with you, but the question of security is just as vital as for old-school utilities. Reports of hacking are far too common - if it isn't M&S or the Co-Op it's the British Library or the Ministry of Justice. Our water supply may not be safe in the hands of Thames Water, but by and large our fuel still comes through. But our dependence on the internet leaves us comparatively vulnerable.

[Canary42]

We're really looking at two different issues here.

1. Security. Is the internet bomb-proof?

2. Behaviour. Is the internet damaging it?

If number 1 fails of corse, we'll certainly find the answer to number 2

P.S. I still grow food in my garden, but how many gardens are being paved over to provide space for the ubiquitous car - the car being another major behaviour-changer, and folk who can't drive or run a car are seriousy disadvantaged (just like folk wh can't access/use the internet. ). I think we do frequently fail to deal with social consequences of new inventions. We can be very foolish.  

[davebro3]

I don't know the technicalities re security etc. but any major prolonged distruption of the internet would already have serious consequences for our (my) day-to-day lives. It is a worry.

[DDIL]

I am always struck by what a different life you had from your peers.

we had colour tv when I came to the uk in 78, my mother as always had a machine to wash clothes.

As for your OP the human race will adapt as we always do. If you are unhappy with the reliance on automation then do something about it that works for your family.

[barry1010]

I don't miss spending my lunch hour in the bank because of their short opening hours and Saturday closure.

I don't miss the long queue at the post office to tax my car.

I certainly don't miss the filthy, stinking phone box with the calling cards thoughtfully left by French teachers.

I get my groceries delivered but still buy meat at the butchers, fruit and veg from the greengrocer and fish from the market.

Technology keeps me in daily contact with my family thousands of miles away. A blessing.

Internet banking means I can manage my money, my way.  

The internet helps me make informed choices. I can quickly see which utility company, bank, shop, bureau de change, insurance company offers the best deal for me. No more visits to a biased insurance broker or dozens of phone calls.

Years ago people complained that TV was killing the art of conversation, emptying the pubs. That children preferred to watch TV than play with their friends. It stopped them doing their homework and ended family meals at the table. They thought lightning would strike aerials and blow their houses up. It didn't stop them buying or renting TVs which were hugely more expensive than they are today in real terms.

Going back even further, people were wary of having gas and electricity in their homes; indoor toilets were a dirty health hazard: trains were a blot on the landscape; cars dangerous.

People are wary of change and that is understandable during the transition. Quenched, your hankering for the past (that you very much view through rose tinted glasses) and your fear for the future is not normal.

Make the most of today and all it has to offer. 

 

 

[DDIL]

Well said!

[1ozzy]

Well, the internet does allow lots of people to be rather verbose with their views 🤔

[DDIL]

Ozzy well it saves them having to write to the National press as 'angry from Cornwall'

[1ozzy]

That's true, saves a lot of letter writing to pissant newspapers 😉

[david small]

It’s both good and bad. You pays your money, you makes your choice.

disgruntled, from Tunbridge Wells.

[douglas9401]

Nothing's been the same since the first water wheel.

[davebro3]

or indeed the wheel?

[rockyracoon]

I like a lot of the changes it has brought. What you see as a disaster is many seeing a benefit.

I like online shopping. The amount of times I have taken the time to drive to a shop, pay for parking to find they don't have what I want with the advice to 'get it online'. Shops that fail have themselves to blame.

I love, love online banking.

Mobile phones have killed off public phones. Now we can take/make a call from parctically anywhere in the world. That's progress, no?

I think Covid did more to change things.