Bobeddy
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Made a Terrible Mistake
Posts: 15,151
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Post by Bobeddy on Apr 13, 2010 15:30:21 GMT -5
I'm doing a project in college where we examine people's attitudes towards the technology heavy society we live in today. I'm focusing on the Internet, as I think it's the most widespread use of technology, reaching practically everybody in the world. I wanna get a nice cross-section of people, and I thought who better to represent the attitude of net dwellers towards the Internet than the Wrestlecrap OT faithful? So I'm curious... In what ways have we benefited from the Internet? Have we been hindered in any way because of it? And, can you see a time in the future when the Internet won't have as much influence on our lives as it does now? If you could answer those, that'd be a huge help. Short, long, jokey, serious, it's all good. (Though the more serious/philosophical you get the better for me! Thanks guys, and any answers I use, you might get put down as a source in the final write-up!
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Annette
Unicron
Love Feels Amazing ♥
Posts: 2,533
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Post by Annette on Apr 13, 2010 15:33:50 GMT -5
When it comes to people, it's both helped and hindered us. Places like this allow us to meet people from all over the world that we never would have met otherwise... yet, at the same time, I find that people tend to ignore people around them in exchange. I can answer more later when I return.
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Post by Ultimo Chocula on Apr 13, 2010 15:36:52 GMT -5
Speaking as a budding artist/graphic designer it's extremely helpful for reference. If I need a picture of something, I can get it no muss, no fuss. There are also a crap ton of websites dedicated to showing what other artists are doing in any field you can imagine. It's not hard to get inspired when you've got a project due.
The down side is that it's another addiction I cannot have right now. I've often put off responsibilities because I found a website that has "Heavy Metal Parking Lot" on it or something else that makes it far too easy for me to procrastinate.
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Post by Clash, Never a Meter Maid on Apr 13, 2010 15:44:51 GMT -5
We've benefited from the vast amount of information made available, and from providing a route for like-minded creative people to share their work and thoughts. Or just people with similar hobbies/interests- it's impossible to feel like "the only one who's into that".
Sadly, I think the internet's anonymity has bred a culture of arrogance. Since they're not physically in one's person, some people feel free to set aside the respect and consideration they have in the real world, and the result is a lot of stupidity.
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Post by Non Banjoble Tokens on Apr 13, 2010 15:45:49 GMT -5
On the good side, almost every manner of porn is readily available. On the bad side, um...you'll have to give me a minute or two for this one. Oh, how bout maybe that some of us spend too much time on the internet and don't get outside for fresh air or physical activity much. But then before internet, we had TV doing that so I don't know. But with online games and various forms of online communication, it's probably quite a bit worse these days. Especially the way you don't even need to leave the house to communicate with other people. I guess I'd go with that, mostly because I'm a living example of this.
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Y2M
Dennis Stamp
Posts: 4,757
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Post by Y2M on Apr 13, 2010 15:49:50 GMT -5
In what ways have we benefited from the Internet?
Access to information. You can basically find anything you want and nearly everyone has access to it to the point where there are computer labs in libraries now. You can buy things online, sell things online, keep in touch online, lots of stuff. It's generally cheaper too, which is helpful.
Have we been hindered in any way because of it?
I guess it's made us more lazy. Rather than getting up to mail a Christmas card for example, we'll send an ecard instead. Plus all this shorthand chatting seems to be translated onto resumes and essays. The internet has made us stupid yet smart at the same time.
And, can you see a time in the future when the Internet won't have as much influence on our lives as it does now?
I think it might fade just as new ideas aren't coming up as frequently, but it will always have an influence on us. How many social networking sites do we need really?
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Tapout
Hank Scorpio
WWE Creative(TM)
W.W.W.Y.K.I.
Posts: 6,919
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Post by Tapout on Apr 13, 2010 16:15:35 GMT -5
We're worse off, because now young people try to use the interwebs to get other people to do their homework for them.
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B.B.M
Hank Scorpio
Scavenger Hunt All-Star
Where did the Lime go?
Posts: 7,404
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Post by B.B.M on Apr 13, 2010 16:15:47 GMT -5
Benefits of the Internet have changed over the years. It allows you to search for Information, which most Libraries don't support. Libraries were the only good source of information you could access, before the internet came alone, which has sites like Wikipedia or MSN Encarta as sources. The internet also allows you to shop from simple things like food, or Music, to antiques and rarities. With the growth of Ebay and Amazon back in the early 90s, it took awhile for major high street store to jump to the internet. It also offers a place for Independent stores to try and make a name for themselves, or be internet exclusive. Also communication has changed as well. E-mail was a big step, but was limited to Addresses. Forums also played a part back in the early 90s allowing people to communicate with others, but was limited due to some being mostly unknown. Sites like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, Pushed the door further open to worldwide communication. So much, that it's became part of popular culture.
But with Benefits, also comes a darker side. The internet opens a door for any average computer user to express their feelings, which some take over the limit. Which is demonstrated by websites like 4chan or YTMND, When giving a space to express yourself, it can go a step too far. When you find entertainment by disembowelled animals or racial attacks, you've outlasted your stay. Porn is also a big factor of the dark side of the internet. It allows people to expend on exploitation. Some websites offer porn you can purchase from normal adult film stores, while others take the illegal route. There is others that take it too far with distribution of child porn or bestiality. Internet laws are different from Laws outside cyberspace, but that's changing. once people learn that certain things shouldn't be expressed, this will change the internet for the better.
As for future influence. The internet is just one piece of cyberspace, things will progress, maybe a succesor to the internet could happen. But whatever happens, the internet has put it's place in history.
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Bobeddy
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Made a Terrible Mistake
Posts: 15,151
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Post by Bobeddy on Apr 13, 2010 16:35:21 GMT -5
This is all great guys.
Thank you so much! Keep it up!
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Post by Orange on Apr 13, 2010 16:47:28 GMT -5
I can't think of a good answer, hang on lemme Google it ;D
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Post by ani on Apr 13, 2010 17:00:31 GMT -5
We are ACTUALLY better...
We only THINK we're worse.
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Post by ritt works hard fo da chickens on Apr 13, 2010 17:42:04 GMT -5
Technology has made us more connected but only on a by the numbers way. I believe we have less connection to people now then before. I just got done watching "Mating habits of the Earthbound Human" with one of my friends who just started college. I was his age when I first saw it. It's a mockumentary about how humans hook up made in the early/mid 90s. The stuff that has changed is shocking. He will never understand what it was like to wait by a phone. How your only friends when you went out are the friends you went out with. If you didn't go with friends you had to make friends you couldn't facebook your woe off your phone in a corner. If someone was going to call you, you better give them the number of the place you were going. You knew how close someone was to you by how many numbers you knew. People don't even memorize phone numbers anymore. I knew my best friends home number, his work number and schedule, and his grandparents number. I knew this one girl's mother's number, her father's number, her school number, her work number, the number where she babysat, and her best friend's number. Now I have memorized like 5 numbers. You knew everyone of your friends relatives, because if you called them, you called their house and any person might answer. You couldn't just leave a message on facebook. I have worked with and gone out with a guy I work with a couple times for drinks. Known him over a year now. Met his sister. Just found out last week he has another sister, living in the apartment next door with the sister I met. People would plan to spend time with people to catch up and you really bonded with them. Now, when I suggest that everyone looks at me like I am some stalker/serial killer. Just text me or facebook me. Maybe I am old fashioned but to me 2 dots and half a parenthesis don't quite convey the spirit of two eyes and a pair of lips.
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chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 27,975
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Post by chazraps on Apr 13, 2010 17:43:57 GMT -5
The internet is the best cooked crack in the world.
I'm a musician who really wouldn't have as near as much a career had it not been for the internet. If you want input relating to this, let me know.
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Post by ritt works hard fo da chickens on Apr 13, 2010 17:45:28 GMT -5
Bah my rant came off more on cell phones after rereading but it really is about the whole "connectivity" of the facebook generation.
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Post by Spankymac is sick of the swiss on Apr 13, 2010 18:01:16 GMT -5
At some point though, the internet became this gigantic self-hating beast. I mean, look at how the IWC regards itself. Even members of the IWC seem to regard the IWC as a group of sub-human, overly analytical perfectionists because different viewpoints don't agree. This group loves Cena, and this group hates Cena. The group that loves Cena hates the group that hates Cena, because they hate Cena, and that makes them a bunch of "dweebs on the internet". Conversely, the group that hates Cena hates the group that loves Cena, for being "a bunch of dweebs on the internet". It goes in this vicious schizophrenic circle. I don't know where I'm going with this in regards to helping you, by the way, it's just a pet peeve I've wanted to get off my chest for a while now, and this seemed like an interesting topic to bring it up in.
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Post by FrankGotch on Apr 13, 2010 18:42:40 GMT -5
The internet is the greatest thing to ever happen to the human race thus far. Long story short instant information, and mass communication are the two biggest keys to world peace. We still have a long way to go, but we are making progress at lighting speed.
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Post by ritt works hard fo da chickens on Apr 13, 2010 19:03:18 GMT -5
The internet is the greatest thing to ever happen to the human race thus far. Long story short instant information, and mass communication are the two biggest keys to world peace. We still have a long way to go, but we are making progress at lighting speed. How to make fire might still be slightly more important. Lead to cooking, early crafting and demolition, eventually forging and creating alloys, which eventually lead to industry, urbanization, the internet, beer in a can, drive through chicken sandwiches. I really doubt it will lead to world peace. In fact I hope not. The only way to peace is through the subjugation of dissenting ideals. In fact if anything the internet allows people to break off into their own little idealogical groups and have to deal with other people outside there thought range less and less. In this day and age the difference between the two major political parties in the United States is less than it ever has been in history but the divide between the tribes is as bitter as it was during the civil war. Before the internet if you wanted to talk politics you had to listen to someone else's point of view. Now I can just go to the forums of the idealogue I identify with and never have to hear a differing though and can have people help me villainize and dehumanize those who think differently than us.
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Allie Kitsune
Crow T. Robot
Always Feelin' Foxy.
Celestial Princess in Exile.
Posts: 46,112
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Post by Allie Kitsune on Apr 13, 2010 19:06:38 GMT -5
Definitely Worse. The internet has made people less afraid to be complete and total self-centered assholes to other people, and think they're completely in the right for treating other people like crap.
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B.B.M
Hank Scorpio
Scavenger Hunt All-Star
Where did the Lime go?
Posts: 7,404
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Post by B.B.M on Apr 13, 2010 19:12:34 GMT -5
Definitely Worse. The internet has made people less afraid to be complete and total self-centered assholes to other people, and think they're completely in the right for treating other people like crap. Most of them are usually Social Outcasts, sadly.
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Post by Cela on Apr 13, 2010 19:27:31 GMT -5
Almost entirely better. Not too many original reasons, but we wouldn't be having this conversation if it weren't around.
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