Saturday, November 3, 2012

The Internet





The Internet is an infinity of information in a click. A connection with more worlds than I can think of. For a geek like me, that's paradise. I always loved the Internet before. I always have. Yet when I had to go without it for a few days, I learned to love it even more and appreciate me having it.

When I didn't have the Internet, I felt so disconnected from the world around me. I had no idea what was going on and I had a much more limited ability to talk to my friends. I felt odd and empty.

The Internet has also become a staple in terms of my entertainment and something that I almost need. It's one of the few things that can entertain me when nothing else can. With the Internet, I can multitask, do a variety of tasks. When I get bored with one thing, I can think about the next thing.

On the Internet, I can observe and create content. I have a vehicle of expression that actually feels significant. With the Internet, I can make a mark and see other people make a mark too. It feels something very powerful.

There's something about the Internet that I love. I love that I have a world of my own, a world that I can actually fit into and work with. I love that I can learn whatever I want to learn and whenever I want to learn it. I love that I can actually connect to people that are like me and that we can actually create something pretty awesome. It almost feels magical and euphoric somehow.

Of course, I know that there are plenty of negative qualities to the Internet. I know that, unlike me, many use the Internet to make themselves stupider rather than more intelligent and they often end up saying cruel and hurtful things. Many often exploit the Internet and use it for their nefarious purposes (like crime). I also know that Internet dependence such as mine can create a load of unhealthy problems (some that are particularly unique to this generation, of course, such as the need for instant gratification as well as the large numbers of obesity and widespread inactivity).

Without the Internet, I have to admit that my life would be drastically different. My worldview would be different, I might not have been able to sustain many long-term friendships and I probably wouldn't know as much. Not to mention, I would end up being bored for much of the time.

I can already hear some older person talking about how the Internet has ruined the youth and about “the good old days”. I think that’s a load of B.S. because I’m sure their grandparents and parents yammered about technology and what it had done to them but they have been fine. My generation isn't entirely worse than theirs because of technology; it's just been different. There are good things and bad things about it and what it brings.

All I know is that I love the Internet. 


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