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Honestly, while the internet is good for many, many things, my biggest concern would be my inability to fact check the mainstream media. I don't trust the MSM and I've come to the point where I have to watch a clip for myself as I've seen thing regularly distort the meaning and context of remarks.
Otherwise, I wouldn't have a problem living without the internet. I'd spend more time running (I still run now), cooking, eating, reading, and enjoying other entertainment options.
To get the news and communicate with others: paper newspaper, tv, radio, and phone calls. Like 30 years ago...
At home: reading paper books, playing games, cooking, sewing, pursuing a hobby, doing something meaningful with the kids, paying more attention to a spouse, spending quality time as a family...
I think if you suddenly take away the internet from people who are used to using it, it would be very tough for them during this lockdown. They wouldn't know what to do with themselves, though over time they'd learn to adapt. If this happened 30 years ago or to someone today who normally doesn't use the internet, they'd probably be reading books, watching TV or whatever else they normally do around the house. I'm one of those that is really glad the internet is around during times like this. Besides entertainment, I have access to a lot more information a lot quicker than without the internet.
Information exchange existed prior to 1992/93 when the first 'Mosaic web browser' came-out. Prior to then, I had provided 'centralized' marketing and statistical information from a variety of static sources (DVD's, etc.). As the internet became more widely available on PC's, the difficulty level of the questions increased dramatically. IOW, people still 'consumed' the available internet information, which only advanced their perceived 'need for next-level information.'
Moving backward, I was also in the computer business when the first small 'business computers/PC's' became available in 1980-84. Similarly, small businesses suddenly had rapid access to a wider range range of data ... which gave them a sense of control, but, increased their thirst for the next level of information.
If people believe they have the maximum available information, they feel like they have a sense of control, which most are very unwilling to give-up. Numerous novels today speculate about society's response if an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) brought down the information and electrical grid. Traditional paradigms would be turned upside down and the results wouldn't be pretty. It might be like that today if the internet were lost. Of course, if the internet didn't exist, things would be like they were previously.
For me, I don't think my imagination could even stretch that far!
How about you? What would people be doing otherwise?
Somewhat-interesting counter-factual question.
Internet really took off for me in 1998 when I went to work at Microsoft. Before that I lived in the Bay Area with good access to tech, too. 1994 or so, Mozilla 1.0, was when it kicked off....as I recall. And Windows '95 handled it okay, hugely better than Windows 3.1.X. Window 98 was something else, though: I lined up at Microsoft for Gold CDs with hundreds of others, those were the days and I was at Ground Zero.
I rode motorcycles most of the 1990s in my spare time. As in, all the time. Then I raced a couple seasons, and was pretty good though not nationally ranked. I studied a lot of Microsoft operating systems and applications, and had to tweak my home systems to keep them in peak condition: PCs were a lot more twitchy back then, for sure, and if drivers were wrong they were way-wrong and down she went. All those were hobbies. I read voraciously, fiction and non- , and was a regular fixture at various used book stores. Buying new books is for the birds.
I still have a couple books going, via Kindle and Google Books, but they take awhile to finish.
As for friends, I've seldom had any. Girlfriends are a massive waste of time and effort, which I had figured out at age 14 and thus couldn't figure out what my friends were after through end of high school. Knew a couple nice girls in college, but when it was time for them to go, out she went and that's that. And so it goes, to this day: I'm quite self-entertaining. Friends are on IM and similar, no women or brats around here.
For me, I don't think my imagination could even stretch that far!
How about you? What would people be doing otherwise?
If the Internet went away I would die.
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