Published on 12, July, 2020
Was the world better without it?
I love the 'information superhighway' as it was once known for information and connection.
I grew up having to walk to libraries (using microfiche or books) or read newspapers and magazines if I could afford them, for my information, especially current affairs.
TV was sometimes available but the limited channels gave a narrower bias than these days.
I was dependent on 'experts' like doctors for diagnoses (or the occasional book written by these 'experts').
A lot of walking around shops to be done too (which of course the internet is killing).
There was also the option to ask people questions and try to sift their sometimes dubious replies.
However, it facilitates crimes to a rather horrendous level.
It also isolates people and childhood appears to have drastically changed because of it.
What do others think?
Library for information about transport, places, newspapers and magazines. Now everything is online.
Basic tv channels which was ideal and now it's too much choice.
Writing letters to pen pals as the postage cost was 21p. Now it's expensive. Cheap way is to use email or social media/WhatsApp.
Used to go into a shop for information. Now inaccurate information online.
Local charity/thrift shop used to have the telephone box for the main office.
In a nutshell.
Penguin said:Used to go into a shop for information. Now inaccurate information online.
Not sure I can agree with that - there is loads of accurate info if you use trusted sources.
Unfortunately there are loads of interested parties pumping out intentional disinformation (think Russia / China in their attempts to destabalise the "West") and heaps of peope who have little clue but profess themselves an expert where they have few skills and little knowledge (some people offering advice on here for example - some good, some bad).
I've been using the internet since it first became useful (back in the 90s) and working in IT I used it a lot so can say with confidence that it is net positive by a long way.
Forget social media - that is full op people and their stupid attempts to get likes as well as loads of idiots fighting over politics, opinions, sports teams / players etc. We are better off without it.
There is a wealth of material to consume (books, comics, magazines, TV shows, films etc) over on archive.org and a number of other resources such as Libgen, so entertainment for life can be found there.
For those of us who hate to go out and need to speak to people about stuff (in shops etc) then it is a godsend.
The problem is finding sources that are trust worthy, I think that schools have failed many people in not teaching them how to use sources of information and evaluate them. I think people have a tendency to believe the first thing they read and then disregard anything to the contrary. I don't think it matters if its the internet or the British Library or pub gossip, if people don't know how to challenge, ask questions of questions etc then they're going to be vulnerable. Especially to dubious health claims for products and services, ill people are desperate and will often try almost anything, if they're lucky it will work, most likely they're wasting money, but if they're unlucky the treatments they purchase will make them worse and theres little or no come back on the snake oil pedlers.
British people are on the whole very trusting. They are not very skeptical. That's the main reason the country is in such a state in my view.