The Internet and How it Ruins Us

[Blarghagh]

Read an article just now by Paul Miller, who has just returned to the internet after an experiment of not using it for a year where he comes to the conclusion that using internet or not doesn't change that much at all, except that you're less connected to people. An interesting read considering how it's practically accepted that the internet has ruined social interaction. It's a bit of a journal type retrospective rather than an in depth analysis, but I thought it was a nifty perspective.

 

Link:

 

http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/1/4279674/im-still-here-back-online-after-a-year-without-the-internet

[Walsingham]

Read an article just now by Paul Miller, who has just returned to the internet after an experiment of not using it for a year where he comes to the conclusion that using internet or not doesn't change that much at all, except that you're less connected to people. An interesting read considering how it's practically accepted that the internet has ruined social interaction. It's a bit of a journal type retrospective rather than an in depth analysis, but I thought it was a nifty perspective.

 

Link:

 

http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/1/4279674/im-still-here-back-online-after-a-year-without-the-internet

 

Good read.  Just wrote one thing and erased it. I think the internet has given me a lot of new ways to interact and learn from and support people I just wouldn't otherwise. The best and worst being you arseholes.

 

The internet has softened all my interactions as it broadened them. So I know a lot of people not very well, while my close friends have dwindled.

 

Actually, I'm not even sure about that. I've always thought that friends are the people you do stuff with. The internet lets me do basically just gaming. And its hard to think of any actually meaningful friend-forging experiences you can have while gaming.

 

Maybe because gaming and the internet, when it stops being fun, you turn it off.

 

Hm.

[Raithe]

Well I saw some psychology/sociology studies that most "friendships" last around 7 years before you end up falling out of contact with them (and yes, that's the real-life ones, not just the internet weirdos you chat to...).

 

So take a step back and think about how many people you knew in real life 7 years ago that you still chat to, see, or communicate in any meaningful way. Then compare to how many folks you semi-chat to/at on these boards and how long that's been going on...   Or at least, how many people you made the acquaintance of over the internet 7 years ago.

 

Heh, I know I have a couple of friends I've been talking to via online technology for a decade at least. In a couple of occasions some of those friends have hooked up, moved countries and gotten married to other friends on the internet in that time frame....

[LadyCrimson]

The internet doesn't change your basic personality. If you're a non-social couch potato, you're likely going to be one with or without the internet in your life. The internet just gives you a reason to give to other people and to yourself.

 

What I think the internet can do (to some people) is reduce their in-person social skills ... because of disuse. Use it or lose it, as they say. If one uses the internet too often as a substitute for in-person socialization, one starts to lose the skills of how to communicate in person, when there's no editing, no DEL key, no pause button, no "well I don't want to answer/deal with that so I'm leaving the page."

 

Of course, this happens if you're just sitting at home reading books 24/7, too...but the 'net tends to give one the feeling that you're still working certain social skills, when you're not...or at least, it's a different kind of social skill. Kinda like how one can be the talker in a close relationship but fall silent during a party, because being talky in a comfortable/easy situation (spouse/friends or faceless 'net) isn't the same as being talky in a room full of strangers staring you in the face, waiting for you to speak. If you want to be a dynamo public speaker, you need to practice offline.

 

So I don't find the guy's "findings" surprising at all. Like anything else, the internet is a tool, and how one uses it, and how "bad" (or good) it is to someone's psyche, lifestyle, etc. just depends on the individual.

[Walsingham]

BBC Report on smartphone addiction: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22397932

[Gorgon]

People can get addicted to just about anything it seems. I have long suspected that living a large portion of your life vi a digital proxy makes it more difficult rather than less to develop new meaningful relationships.

[Lexx]

As long as people don't play with their stupid smartphones all the time when you are going somewhere / do something together, they can be as addicted to this crap as they like to, imo...

 

Damn, I hate it so much if you are going out and everyone is typing stuff on the phone.

[JFSOCC]

Internet pros are the same as its cons. So far it's worked out for us.

Edited May 4, 2013 by JFSOCC

[Agiel]

For all the 4chan b/tardedness out there...

 

For all the anonymity that affords users to toss about homophobic/racist/misogynist/generally bigoted slurs out there...

 

For all the social networking that emphasises a "don't want to say this to your face" approach to interpersonal relationships...

 

I think we've turned out for the better because of the internet.

[Meshugger]

For all the 4chan b/tardedness out there...

 

For all the anonymity that affords users to toss about homophobic/racist/misogynist/generally bigoted slurs out there...

 

For all the social networking that emphasises a "don't want to say this to your face" approach to interpersonal relationships...

 

I think we've turned out for the better because of the internet.

 

Pretty much. I see it is as a proof that humans have a huge demand to express themselves freely.  

[Blarghagh]

That sentiment reminds me of this Cracked article:

 

http://www.cracked.com/blog/4-positive-trends-internet-doesnt-get-enough-credit-for/

 

4 Positive Trends the Internet Doesn't Get Enough Credit For.

 

(I apologize if anyone gets stuck in the Cracked link machine and wastes their day.)

[LadyCrimson]

One thing I used to like about the internet was helping people when they had questions about ... whatever it is I might have some personal knowledge or experience with. But since I'm not a rocket scientist or encyclopedia, these days that occurs less and less often as most of the time the "just Google/wiki it" mentality kicks in and thus a lot of questions are rarely asked to begin with.

 

Probably why I like gaming forums right after a game is released ... for a couple weeks at least, people can't "just google it" and info questing/help discussions still takes place.

[Walsingham]

I am randomly reminded of David Mitchell saying

 

"Twitter is for people who won't shut up, even when they're on their own."