At-home Internet Use

We relied pretty much on word of mouth...not very accurate information....people picked up bits of information from everywhere and anywhere and passed it along, yes before the internet was the grapevine...

You'd find quite a different set of items in my browser histories, but yes, it does occupy a much greater portion of my time than I really care to admit. There are so many interesting things to see and do, including CR4.

On the other hand, it is usually so easy to find information. It is faster to look stuff up on the internet than it is to go over to the bookshelf, find the appropriate book, and search for the exact thing, since what I'm looking for is commonly NOT listed in the index. ... and this is assuming that I have the book on hand!

Also, I have essentially stopped watching TV (not that I ever did watch it that much). On TV, you almost never see the important news/information early in the broadcast. It is intentionally programmed in a manner to keep you watching for the maximum amount of time, so you get exposed to the maximum number of ads that are mostly trying to sell stuff that you don't need or shouldn't have.

Even though it is slower than actually talking to a person, I still love email, because you don't have to worry about what that person may be doing at the moment, and I can reply whenever is convenient, rather than immediately.

Maybe because it is fun to learn about New things.

When you had a printed encyclopedia you could only read the text and look at pictures.

With the internet, you can read the text and watch videos and interact in real time with millions of people that are doing the same thing.

I used to go to the library, or the bookshop if that was fruitless, when I needed to research new-to-me concepts. That could take 2 or 3 days over a couple of weeks. Now the answer is searchable in minutes, usually with several take on the solution, so the task can be completed the same day, or at least order the parts - online rather than finding a store where the part is in stock somewhere around the city.

I do all the repairs and maintenance on my car, but that is now a few days a year, where back in the 80s it took nearly every other weekend.

And with our 5 children now adults, we get some assistance around the house when any are home instead of constantly looking after them.

Some of us STILL prefer old-fashioned "land-line" telephones over hand-held smart-phones...for a reason! Because we do NOT like being "tethered" to others ALL the time. We prefer personal freedom more than being "digitally leashed" to others.

And, a laptop computer is merely a larger incarnation of the smart-phone...a databank of information the operator no longer has to know or memorize, ie: a "SMART-phone/notepad" for "dumb" people.

And, yes, I rely upon a computer, otherwise *how* could I enter and submit these comments?

They call it the 'smart phone' because it makes you smarter than the guy that doesn't have one...

Unfortunately, there isn't much "smarts" in 'thumb-talking' to individuals sitting on the other side of the conference table, nor relying upon technology to do all one's "mental math" work for them. Sometimes people need to "think" for themselves.

Sometimes walking to one's destination is desirable, but sometimes taking the car just makes sense...We are born with no knowledge, we acquire it over a lifetime, how we acquire it is of little consequence, the only thing that really matters is the accuracy and how we use it...

..."Sometimes people need to "think" for themselves."...

People need to think for themselves at all times...and making the best decision is aided by knowledge and experience, any tool that enables an abundance of either is valuable...and he who holds the technology high ground, is always the victor....

oh,... so its all in perception

I known I now spend a lot less time at the library doing research for my hobbies and projects,... and now when I do research at the Library's website. Of which, I did notice it's quality dropped as of late.

Apparently standing there holding a smart-phone makes one somehow look intelligent.

What? Wait, that's a mannequin? No wonder there's no battery in the phone.

I have found myself at a crossroads with this very topic recently! On one hand, as many have pointed out, learning new things is helpful and fun -- especially when we can find the answer to so much so quickly.

But more often, I'm scrolling a friend's sister's girlfriend's Facebook page for absolutely no reason at all. I keep a weekly to-do list and I've transferred so many things from one week to the next that I haven't done yet -- simply because I waste time after work!

It's funny you should write this because this week I tried something new. I deleted the Facebook app form my phone and am setting specific times to check text messages and respond to them all during that time as well as a check of the news/social media. I'm not sure how it will work, but I am hopeful and my mind feels clearer already!

A so-called ''smart'' phone) may have an app to contact the nearest tow truck company if you have a flat tire, but it's not ''smart'' enough to help you fix it yourself, if you're in a dead spot, and have a dead phone battery...