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Taking the Internet for Granted
Useful information at your fingertips is super useful.
As everyone knows, the internet is for cats. And porn. But beyond that, it is the ultimate resource. Information about anything and everything you can think of, at your fingertips. You can access it 24/7 from a multitude of very cool tech. My current smartphone is way more powerful than the first computer I used in the 1980s (and exponentially more powerful than the tech that landed the Apollo astronauts on the Moon).
Unfortunately, many people have exploited and abused the internet. Misinformation is everywhere, and social media has become the ultimate distraction. It’s no wonder attention spans seem to be shrinking. The downside to wondrous tech is how it can get abused. Is the problem the tool, or the user? Spoiler alert – it’s the user.
Tangentially, this is the biggest issue with generative AI – it can be a useful tool, but it can also be used and abused for nefarious purposes. This is true of all tools. A screwdriver is a great way to tighten and loosen screws, but it’s not the fault of the tool if someone uses it to stab a person in the eye. But I digress.
The internet has become so integral to life for many of us that we take it for granted. You might not give it much thought until you don’t have it but need it.
A resource, multitool, and connector
I’m old enough to remember life before the internet. When I was in school, any research I did was in the library, going through books, newspapers, magazines, and the like. Sometimes you had to try multiple libraries to get certain information because one had what another didn’t.
The internet emerged, and in less than 50 years, it has hugely changed society. Global communication became accessible to almost everyone, as did new ways to connect to people. It’s hard to believe that in so short a time, we’ve gone from maybe learning on the nightly news some of what was happening on the other side of the world to being able to learn that instantly, any time, day or night.
The internet could bring us more together, bridge gaps, and expand accessibility. For some, it does. Unfortunately, it can also provide new and broader echo chambers for partisanship, grievances, and like-minded people to express and expand on misinformation. Flat-Earthers and white supremacists are a perfect example of this.
However, at its core, the internet is a resource, a multitool, and a connector. I can chat with friends and coworkers online instantly, without having to do more than check a screen and maybe open an app. When I’m writing sci-fi and want to understand something scientific, I can research it instantly via Google search, Wikipedia, and more. Meanwhile, I can have different tools running at the same time that all connect to the internet in various useful ways.
Taking a break from being connected is never a bad idea. However, when you need the internet to do your job, losing your connection is problematic. It also shows how much you might take it for granted.
The internet is woven into more and more things
Do you really need your refrigerator connected to the internet? Because that’s an option now. My TV connects online, and I’ve had an internet-capable smartphone for nearly 2 decades.
This morning, I woke up, got out of bed, and went to sit and read like I do every morning. I choose not to get online for at least an hour after getting up. But I noticed that my Wi-Fi router was missing some of its lights. The internet, I soon found, was down.
Wi-Fi, without an internet connection, is useless. Sure, I could write this blog post, but without the internet, it couldn’t be shared. Later, when I start in with my non-writing gig, I’d be completely unable to do it because it’s 100% online and remote. No internet, no work.
When I went to contact my internet provider, I found I had to switch off the Wi-Fi on my phone so I could contact them. We had a storm roll through last night that did some damage to multiple trees, but the agent I reached got it all working again in short order.
Still, not having the internet this morning, it occurred to me how much I take it for granted. Routine things like asking she-who-should-not-be-named to set a timer or tell me the weather forecast were unavailable. Yes, I could still write, but if I needed to research something, it wouldn’t be readily accessible.
Despite remembering when the internet wasn’t even a thing, I’ve become incredibly reliant on it for many reasons. Hence, exploring how I can sometimes take it for granted came up.
Is there a point to this? Yes.
The internet is essential
Can you imagine, especially in the United States, living in a house without water or power? If you’re reading this, I’m going to guess probably not. I think we’ve reached a point where the internet is equally essential to everyone.
As the current administration deregulates more and more things to increase profit margins for investors and the uber-wealthy, the internet needs to be protected the same as water, power, and even phone landlines. Allowing ISPs to “choke” the internet for price-gouging profit is something we, the people, should mind and combat.
When you get past the bullshit and abuses, the internet can be incredibly empowering. As a tool, it can help people learn, grow, and evolve. When we take the internet for granted, we can lose sight of all it can be, especially for marginalized and underprivileged populations.
Just some food for thought, here. Please be mindful of this, and if you get value from the internet, consider what it can do and be for everyone, everywhere. Easy to take for granted, but one hell of a resource, multitool, and global connector.
Thanks for reading. As I share my creative journey with you every week, please consider this: How are you inspired and empowered to be your own authentic creator, whatever form that takes?
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