Life outside the net?

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Hi.

I once again have a philosophical, self-activating, side-quest. This time I am thinking about a life without the internet. If it could be facilitated? If it would be worth it? Do I gain from it or lose by it?

I ask this here, online. To lovely people I only know through the net.

But I am also old enough to know a life without being chronically online. Living without the net entirely. Sometimes I get that old feeling back. Happy and sad at the same time. Just long enough so I know, that I donā€™t feel like that anymore.

By being more connected online and deeper in the matter than ever, I feel more disconnected and lost than ever.

I just donā€™t know how to go back. I donā€™t even know if I want to.
I want to embrace reality and often enough, reality is facilitated through the virtual space today.

What would happen, if I would quit it?

What do you think?

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I think about this a lot myself. I think limiting internet and digital media access as much as possible is a net positive for everyone.

Unfortunately I think there is definitely a cost-benefit analysis to be done on what the right balance is, and where disconnecting from these things meets disconnecting from people or hobbies you care about.

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If I wasnā€™t ill, Iā€™d have as few electronics in my life as reasonably possible. I donā€™t think humans were made to live like we do today, and the majority of them until the last ~150 years didnā€™t. I could get into a whole host of benefits (health, social, etc) that going back to the old ways would bring, but that would derail the topic from being strictly about the internet.

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i think this tells you all you need to know about the benefit of communities, even if they are (mostly) online

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The one thing I realized, thus far, is that I donā€™t like the internet for it-sake. I like the community. I like the discoveries. I like to learn from people on the other side of the world. I like to see their story in a video.

But often enough I start to chase some sort of a hit. The next treasure. The next thing that will open up my view and insight to me or the world.

And in such moments, when the hit is over, I ask myself, if it wouldnā€™t be better to try to get all that from ā€œRLā€?

But I often donā€™t get such from RL, because online is always closer.

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Before the printing-press, the vast majority of reading material was religious in nature. As such, people tended to take words that were read; as religious and cultural truth. When the printing-press was introduced, there was a proliferation of pamphleteers and yellow-journalists that flourished before people began to learn how to consume the printed material in a responsible manner. There were duels, feuds and vendettas based on written words. Soon, however, we learned that just because it was on a page, did not make it authoritative or even reasonable.

I see the internet in much the same way. Society is still learning to consume things like social-media and sketchy-news sites in a responsible way. Just like in the 18th century, we are having societal disruption and distortion while we adjust to this new way of delivering information.

Part of participation is learning to filter this onslaught of information in a responsible way. This, is of course; personal. But it is not something that will go away if ignored. Participation of moderates is essential for society to learn how to consume this new medium responsibly. Not participating is surrendering the medium to those populist and ignorant voices that are already so prevalent.

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I wanna go back. The internet gave everyone a mic. Not everyone needs a mic.

I would miss you all so much, but if given the choice, society would probably be better off without it. What are we all in such a rush for??? I think life would not be nearly so fast paced without all the modern tech we have.

Itā€™s all another vice, another addiction. We sacrifice being present with the ones around us for what? Rub our finger on some glass to make some pixels change? Argue about things we donā€™t know about with people who donā€™t care?

Reminds me of the obscene debt that has been proliferating with all the buy now pay later for anything you want down to a private burrito taxi.
ā€œBuying things you donā€™t need with money you donā€™t have to impress people you donā€™t likeā€

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Iā€™ve dreamed of a cabin in the woods with no screens but my job is very dependent on computers and tech and that reality just wouldnā€™t fit my current phase of life. With that said cutting internet would cut my socialization significantly. It would leave me with minimal contact with people outside of direct family and work and I think I would get depressed.

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i feel like this is a very common but very ā€œfirst world problemsā€ view. i mean the internet facilitates disease research coordination across vast distances, allows information to make it out of oppressed war torn regions, allows disabled people to function and have independence they lacked before, help ppl that donā€™t speak the same language communicate in seconds, and these are just the first few immediate things that popped into my head in the first 30 seconds. for us to sit here and say we would better off without it because some ppl have problems logging off and spending time with their families and such feels narrowly focused, because itā€™s in fact WAY more than just another vice or addiction. i get the feeling that ppl get to need to unplug sometimes, and i encourage anyone feeling that way to do just that, but we have to stop acting like everything is technologyā€™s fault. its akin to saying knives are bad because sometimes someone gets cut

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I am not concerned about the potential negative aspects of the Internet.

I only go online 7 days a week.

And I only go online: morning, afternoon and night.

Andā€¦ once I get into bed, I only take my phone with me in case I have to check my mail at: 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 on the morning.

And I only do most of my shopping online at: Chewy, Amazon, BestBuy, EBay, and about 24 other stores.

When Iā€™m awake, I only check my phone about 128 times a day, just in case I missed a call or text or email or SOS or public service announcement, etc.

Sure, I could move off the Grid and live in a cave with no internet.

But you canā€™t get online ordered Pizza in a Cave with no address.

There was something called ā€˜Lifeā€™ outside the Internetā€¦. Before there was ā€˜the Internetā€™.

People that have the Internet, donā€™t have to leave the Internet to live Life.

They simply have to selectively use the Internet to keep it from becoming ā€˜Your Lifeā€™.

Every day you wake up alive, you are the Master of your own destiny for that day. If a person can control what they eatā€¦.. when or if, they drink or smoke, how productive or lazy they are going to be, they should also exercise the Discipline necessary to feel relaxed and entertained when online and not feel anxious and compelled to convince themselves that the Evil Internet will SUCK their brain dry.

The Internet is simply a multi faceted Tool.

Once you understand the functionality and limitations of a ā€˜Toolā€™, you use the Tool to your advantageā€¦.

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Those are very good points. My reaction wasnā€™t entirely thought out, there is a lot of good in having an interconnected world.

Itā€™s definitely a balance, there is good and bad in it.

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Read a book. Not Iā€™m not being a jerk thatā€™s a very useful habit Iā€™ve used to curb the negative aspects of being on the internet. I often read 2-3 books at a time; philosophy, fiction, some other genre that way I have options to match my mood.

Habits are often described in. Cueā€”>Habitā€”>Reward cycle. I replaced the cue of check phone or internet with read, solve a Rubikā€™s cube, or now throw yo-yos.

Reading has kept me away from my phone in the mornings and at nights.

I usually spend 1 week a year (formerly hunting season but I no longer hunt) just sitting in the mountains without technology. It is blissful but also temporary. I create moments, blocks of time, and days with minimal technology or internet whenever I can because I living as a hermit although I fantasize about it; is not reasonable.

Think of the internet as a tool. What utility does it provide you? How does it harm you? Keep only the essential parts of the internet in your life and purge the rest.

Cal Newport wrote a book Digital Minimalism that was a decent primer on living without the internet in the age of internet. The exercises and practices suggested really helped me loathe the patterns of constant ever connected superficial connection leading to actual personal loneliness less.

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Not my life. I work in ICT. My life revolves around peopleā€™s need for the internet. But there are days where I want to shut it all off, grab my trusty camera, hit the road and make some memories. Life has become sour.

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I love the internet and technology. Iā€™m not leaving short of a sun flare wiping it all out.

I remember my life before the internet in the 90s, an autistic kid with no friends who sat in their room all day building legos and playing yoyo but mostly being lonely. When I found the internet I found people I could connect with who were passionate about the same things as me, things nobody irl cared about that I knew. Later I even met my wife on the internet, 10/10 life upgrade.

That was pre disability too, now I have a crippling disability that prevents me from standing for more than a few minutes at a time and prevents walking more than very short distances. Despite my disability I can live a comfortable life with a well paying job that I can do from home thanks to the internet.

My degree is in information security, my job is internet dependent, my family is thanks to the internet. I for one welcome our internet overlord.

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Iā€™m glad to have grown up with having the internet introduced seemingly at the right time - Was middle school age when we got our first computer and got this new thing called the ā€œinternet.ā€ Single computer in the house, dial up. Internet was used sparingly. It was a game changer once I got my own computer and we got high speed internet and I learned how to get multiple computers online at once.

Today, itā€™s been a love/hate. Things that I was introduced to are past their prime (looking at you Facebook, Youtube, Instagram) and everything is about ā€œhow much data of yours can we collect and sell.ā€ Also, as convenient as online shopping is, nothing will beat the adventure of going out to buy something and having it in your hands right then. Was particularly exciting to ride our bikes a couple miles to the mom 'n pop toy store to see what new yoyos they had, or going to the mall and browsing the specialty stores like Imaginarium, Sharper Image, KB Toys, and so onā€¦finding that thing you wouldnā€™t find at Walmart or Target. Social media usage these days is severely limited and I just flat out stay off the newsā€¦especially in this crazy world of politics.

On the non ranty side, the internet has been a good resource for learning more about yoyo, learning an instrument, and other niche things.

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I hate what the internet and ā€œsocial mediaā€ has become. I would love to return to the heyday when it wasnā€™t so capitalized on and social media was still about being social and not pushing agendas.

These days I find myself unplugging a lot more and also just not engaging in the bs that pops up on my feed, especially stuff I never chose to follow. Iā€™ve gone out to touch grass as the kids say.

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Thank you all for your perspective. The swarm-mind really works. I will definitely change my use of the net and will implement some of your suggestions. Your feedback has also shifted my view of the internet. I realized, that I just have to make a greater effort to stay on the bright side online and put it aside, once it stops being positive or of help.

But self-reflection is always cheap, actually doing it is a different story.

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