Yes and no. The internet brought a lot of positives, including easy access to information, connection with far-flung social ties, the ability to find online community, reduced transaction costs, increased capacity for data storage, increased ability to collaborate across time and space, and opportunities to engage in political and/or civic discussion.

But there are downsides to all of these points, including the prevalence of misinformation, the erosion of face-to-face connection and local community, economic threats to small businesses, threats to privacy, the loss of leisure time due to work-from-home demands, and political polarization resulting from contentious conversations.

This post was edited on 6/6/20 at 10:40 pm

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Posted by 3nOut

Central Texas, TX

Member since Jan 2013

28996 posts

Posted on 6/6/20 at 11:52 pm to TxTiger82

quote:
Yes and no. The internet brought a lot of positives, including easy access to information, connection with far-flung social ties, the ability to find online community, reduced transaction costs, increased capacity for data storage, increased ability to collaborate across time and space, and opportunities to engage in political and/or civic discussion.
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This is where I’m at. I think to going on a trip in Texas to a big city with my dad as a kid in the 80s.

He’d call ahead and buy tickets to a Rangers game, study a map, cuss in traffic, ask for directions if he had to, and just go with fast food on the side of the highway.

I buy a ticket on the internet, pop in the address in the phone and just arrive there, I’ll find a local place to eat, and my kids don’t know the difference. They just arrive.

On the other hand...

quote:
But there are downsides to all of these points, including the prevalence of misinformation, the erosion of face-to-face connection and local community, economic threats to small businesses, threats to privacy, the loss of leisure time due to work-from-home demands, and political polarization resulting from contentious conversations

Social media ruined everything. Everybody thinks their opinions are important and you’re a nazi if you don’t see the world like they do.

This post was edited on 6/6/20 at 11:53 pm

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Posted by Bard

Definitely NOT an admin

Member since Oct 2008

51795 posts

Posted on 6/7/20 at 11:40 am to TxTiger82

quote:
Yes and no. The internet brought a lot of positives, including easy access to information, connection with far-flung social ties, the ability to find online community, reduced transaction costs, increased capacity for data storage, increased ability to collaborate across time and space, and opportunities to engage in political and/or civic discussion.

But there are downsides to all of these points, including the prevalence of misinformation, the erosion of face-to-face connection and local community, economic threats to small businesses, threats to privacy, the loss of leisure time due to work-from-home demands, and political polarization resulting from contentious conversations.

I was a child of the 70's & 80's and that's my take on it as well.

A great aspect of the internet is that of people with similar interests in positive things (cooking, gardening, gaming, wood-working, etc) can communicate and learn from each other.

The shitty aspect of the internet is that of assholes wanting to find other assholes to collaborate with on doing a-hole things (looking at you, ANTIFA).

Sadly, you can't have one without the other because assholes will always come along and shite on things, which brings us to the truism of Team America...

quote:
Pussies don't like dicks, because pussies get fricked by dicks. But dicks also frick assholes — assholes who just want to shite on everything. Pussies may think they can deal with assholes their way. But the only thing that can frick an a-hole is a dick, with some balls. The problem with dicks is that sometimes they frick too much or frick when it isn't appropriate — and it takes a pussy to show them that. But sometimes, pussies get so full of shite that they become assholes themselves... because pussies are only an inch and a half away from assholes. I don't know much in this crazy, crazy world, but I do know that if you don't let us frick this a-hole, we're going to have our dicks and pussies all covered in shite!

...which I found on the internet.