How has the internet affected your life?

[Ambi]

The internet became a major part of my life when I was thirteen. It would be wrong to think that I wouldn't have changed as I grew up, but I think some things would have stayed the same.

If I didn't have the internet, I'd more likely:

- I might have more fundamentalist Christian beliefs, without being exposed to so many of the alternative arguments around and consequentially becoming more and more jaded about it all. Sure, I may have come across different philosophy books, but I'd be more likely to be wary of what I read than if I'd been in a forum full of fickle ex-Christians.

- To still listen to a lot of pop-punk rather than metal.

- Do more of the things I did as a kid, such as shopping, drawing, and reading books.

- Be an omnivore, because it was an internet debate that was the tipping point for me becoming vegetarian.

How about you?

 

[grimsprice]

I LOVE MEAT. BUT NOT LIKE THAT.


The internet is probably the most important driving force in my life. I go here to be entertained, to learn, to gather monies, and to hunt down "future state me"'s possessions.

 

[Frybird]

How has the internet affected my life?

In every possible way that it could be.
Seriously, i wouldn't even know where to begin.

 

[AceDefective]

After the internet i can only say... What life?

 

[RatRace123]

I'd be less knowledgeable about useless trivia

I'd get much more sleep

I'd probably have a smaller game library, given that I've learned about a lot of games exclusively through the internet.

I might be more physically fit.

I'd be really lacking in the porn department.

 

[aLivingPheonix]

I first gained regular access to the internet when I was like 10, and since then, I've used it a hell of a lot. Without it, I'd probably:

Never have been traumatized by 2Girls1Cup

I probably never would have become a gamer, and thank goodness I found the internet.

I probably never would have discovered Twilight, and be a lot happier.

I might have gone skate boarding more often. Then again, I try to go as often as possible anyway.

I never would have wasted 500+ hours on games in general.

I wouldn't have discovered the godliness that is Portal, Half Life, and Team Fortress 2.

And that's about it. In some ways, I wish I'd never started using the internet. In others, I'm glad that I have started, and always will be.

 

[cynikles]

Yeaah, I'm going to have to say 'where hasn't it.' I've learned a lot, gamed a lot...eh, lots of things really. All mostly positive.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

The question should be in what way does the internet NOT affect your life.

 

[Kpt._Rob]

Honestly, I kind of wish the internet wasn't around. I need it for my schooling of course, because if I didn't I'd probably actually cancel it. The problem is that since it is here I end up wasting massive amounts of time on it. If someone wants to find me something like an amish community without all the religion (and not a commune) I would love to go give it a try, and finally live my life free from the curse of the internet.

 

[Angerwing]

My social life would be lacking severely if I didn't use the internet. What's that? Reversal of expectations?

Facebook. I know, I know. Some of you hate it, and it's useless and mainstream and blah blah blah. But you cannot deny the ease of use for mass contact and organisation. Without Facebook, I wouldn't have gone to so many social events, and I wouldn't have made so many friends. True story.

 

[Mcupobob]

I'd be less knowledgeable about useless trivia

I'd get much more sleep

I'd probably have a smaller game library, given that I've learned about a lot of games exclusively through the internet.

I might be more physically fit.

I'd be really lacking in the porn department.

All of this, I also would have died from bordom a long time ago. There ain't nuthing to do around 'ere

Also would be talking more like that.

 

[manaman]

The internet is the single greatest invention of recent times. Yes better then all the materials sciences, better then advances in electronics. Hell probably even better in scope then the technologies that made it possible in the first place.

The internet is the single largest repository of information gathered by humanity, everyone with a connection to the internet and a willingness to learn has more information at their fingertips then ever before, and all that information can be accessed in seconds.

I have grown up with the internet. I played around with a few of the commercial networks around that would become a part of the growing internet in the late 80's. From there I have watched its growing pains in the 90s.

So how has the instantaneous communication all over the world, the information, the anonymity that allows near true freedom of expression, and more affected my life? How has it not? I don't watch TV, I stream stuff I want to watch online. I talk with friends online as much as I do on the phone. I could go on and on, but it really is a part of my life now, and has been for over a decade. I really can't imagine not having internet access.

 

[Omikron009]

I spend way too much time on the internet, and I've learned a great many things.

 

[Nautical Honors Society]

Because of the internet I have a wide knowledge of random movie facts, I know a lot more about gaming canon, and I stay up way too late.

 

[grimsprice]

I'd be really lacking in the porn department.

Ah, yes.

But consider this... with access to some pretty spectacular material to get off on. Hasn't it become harder? Slowly forcing you to turn to weirder and weirder stuff?

Some of us might be mildly normal (sexually) if it weren't for the internet.

 

[iLikeHippos]

I wouldn't be as smart and informative I am as for the moment. Nor would I speak English very well.

But I would be more physically fit and probably have more IRL friends. But who knows?

 

[0bserv3]

The internet killed my life. then probably tea bagged it 'cause the internet's like that

 

[ingrid]

right now it is one of those things that i can't live without, i use it to communicate with my husband who is working abroad, for entertainment since my friends are all working in the city and most of all i work online so it helps me generate steady income instead of waiting for my husband's pay. like for instance a bingo site, which makes the internet it's money making source.

Link removed. -Mod

 

[eytrvnbmgkhjiuty]

.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

The internet introduced me to LPing, Collegehumor, the Escapist and Facebook. I'm not a very experienced netizen, as I've only been really active for about four years now. I would say that being exposed to some of the darker parts of the internet (I'm looking at you 4-chan) did scar my mind a little but I think it is worth it.

I have met some pretty damn amazing people online, a few I've met in person and became close friends with and the fact I can communicate anywhere on the Earth is a good thing. I've learned many things on the internet (some of them fake for sure) and watched videos that were 10x as good as what is on TV. I'm online almost daily, excepting for recent weeks while I was fighting a virus.

Maybe the internet is my drug, who knows. It isn't that bad a vice I guess.