Society Without Internet

[MWG14]

Would you be happy to go back to an internetless society?

If so, why?

[ummmm]

I also don't know all these people with their head stuck in their phone. I don't see them. If you see my son on his phone the chances are he's changing his music tracks.

[spathiphyllum]

Jhee, I do.

In my experience and perception.. I find it's more females who are on their phones more.

[ummmm]

I haven't noticed. My boys are on their phones as much as my daughter.

I left my phone in the office and didn't even notice it was missing :-)

But they aren't all on social media though. When they come home from work and I'm watching something on TV they'll watch youclips...no different to watching TV really.

[andres]

I would go back quite happily to the days before the Internet. For a start 'What you've never had you'll never miss' etc. etc.
I used to visit friends, write letters, send cards, phone the family,go to the library, shop on the High street, read books, go to the cinema, travel on buses,take the grandchildren on long walks and a hundred and one other things before the Internet.
Now I e-mail, google, iplayer and ITVhub ,shop on line and as for going on walks with the grandchildren ,forget that, they are too busy tapping away on their gadgets to even look up let alone go out.
I am getting lazy and apart from going to the back door now and again have almost forgotten what fresh air is .
There are good points for the Internet such as instant communication, knowledge literally at the touch of a button but on the whole it is gradually turning us into an insular society. We are becoming addicted to it but it's too late now to turn the clock back!

[Calicogirl]

I use the internet for what I need to use it for, I don't have social media, nor do I know many social media slaves either.
That issue is about their addictive personalities not the internet per se, take the internet away and they'll find something else to fixate about.

[retrocop]

According to a pre-recorded, robotic voice ,allegedly from BT 20 minutes ago, my internet will be cut off from 1300hrs.
I don't subscribe to British Telecom.

[Prudie]

No and lazily the biggest thing I'd miss is online shopping

[andres]

Should have said ^^^^I don't Skype, Facetime or do Social Media. AB is the only social site I venture onto and then I don't contribute everyday.

[ummmm]

Same...I use AB and FB...but I rarely post on FB unless talking in a private group to my friends. I don't share my life.

[ummmm]

I do look at cute animals though :-)

[ToraToraTora]

andres, you do make some good points, all the things people used to do are still doable but you are correct about youngsters being glued to their phone. Perhaps we all should make more effort to leave it alone for a few hours now and again.

[Eleena]

Yes, if it made a significant difference to ridding society of peadophilia and protecting our children. I think the internet has played its part in a significant increase of the problem.

[Ken4155]

Andres; you cannot blame the internet for your lack of activity. The blame lies with you alone. Why not try and do all those things you mentioned, just once a week maybe to begin with.
I spend a few hours a day browsing on the internet when i'm not working, but i still find the time to visit my 4 children or for them to visit me. I still visit friends, read books, visit the library, etc. The internet does have it's faults but it is a handy tool to have.

[Rockrose]

A lot of my work is now carried out on line so work wise we need it as there is not the money for face to face now.

[hc4361]

The internet is fantastic for tracking down spare parts that I need for various projects. Saves me from hours of ringing round companies all over the country.
It also saves me loads of money. I have a home brew shop 5 minutes walk from me but I buy my supplies from a very small business over 80 miles away - cheaper with free delivery. I'm still supporting a small business!
Shopping round for cheaper insurances is a doddle.
I bought a bed from a small business at the other end of the country saving £300.
Buying online gives me far more legal protection if things go wrong than buying in store.
I play online Scrabble every day with my young grandchild who lives far away - great way to keep a relationship going.
I can read the news from many different perspectives, totally free.
YouTube has saved me the cost of paying people to do repairs I couldn't have done otherwise.

I love the internet.

[woofgang]

no I wouldn't be happy to go back....and I often think how much my late Mum (who refused to move in with any of us and stuck stubbornly to her flat in London) would have loved facetime to talk to all of her family including those abroad.

[andres]

ken--Yes ,you are probably right but after doing my Cleaning job. looking after an invalid OH, Shopping, cooking, cleaning I don't have much energy left except to sink down on my chair. I did say''getting lazy'' not completely idle.

[hc4361]

So it's not the internet that's preventing you doing things, Andres.

[woofgang]

Eleena I am not convinced that the actual number of paedophiles has increased per head of population....I do agree that the net has given them another tool....but then so has paedo tourism. I do think that such things are much more openly talked about which gives the impression that its more common but surely talking about it is a good thing?

[Tilly2]

What? No Answerbank?

Oh, no!