For some reason I feel the deep down desire to just leave the internet be for a while. Of course I can't, my entire social life is on the internet. I publish on the internet. I sometimes game on the internet, which does not seem to have a purpose at the moment. I research everything from historical facts to my grocery bill on the internet. I chat with my spouse on the internet. Check the weather and air quality, make sure we still have a country, the list goes on. Basically I'm online from waking to sleeping.
Wasn't life happier before the internet? Wasn't I happier, more productive, more engaged with my community? More active, better fed, healthier? Didn't I get more done?
Actually, no.
I felt lonely all the time. Bored. Perusing my interests was difficult, resources were hard to find. I was disorganized and scattered, unable to focus. And did I mention lonely? Very, very lonely? I hear talks about people who left the internet for a time, how they regained their focus and learned how to _____ and became part of their community again. That would be hard for me, I don't drive and here's noting within walking distance. Taking a bus is a three hour ordeal. It's not worth it. And if I want to learn how to ___ odds are I can learn faster and easier from the internet then from any resource in town, especially for those of us who's interests are the slightest bit esoteric.
They may have a point on the focus bit. But a lot of what I want to focus on is actually available on line.
So maybe the internet isn't so bad. Sure, I waste too much time randomly surfing, but outside of that, maybe it's okay. Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree, like I was with diet. But I still feel like I could do better.
I'll have to work on that.
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