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Life without a computer...

is the secret of attaining the greatest joy and excitement of living. Living dangerously! Socializing! Believe me, I just returned from Cancun and as soon as I saw my computer I felt shitty. I'm not even talking about partying all the time and relaxing, but while I was there I'd met people from different parts of the world and I'd realized nothing at all compares to human beings bonding and being together (not on the internet but in life!). Perhaps I may yet move to Mexico city - me and my traveling companion talked about it. Such a different lifestyle...rather simple - go to work, meet with some friends after for some beer, and the day is done. Nobody is rushing to and fro, everyone works at their own pace, and at night they gather in the streets or by the beach somewhere and have some beers and laughs without worrying about getting a deuced ticket for drinking in public. They may not make a lot of money but they certainly seem less bound to the shackles of everyday existence than we people in the States are. I'll end this now. Back to reality, eh?

Ya... but Mexico city sucks. I think life in Latin America in general is different. People are more friendly and approachable. I bet you even with out computers, Mexico would be filled with more friendly people than brooklyn.

Between last Saturday and the Saturday before that, I stopped using the Internet except for my school e-mail.

[You can check; I have no posts then.]

During that time, I used my computer basically for nothing but making music. It became just a musical instrument for me rather than a gateway to a "lifestyle" of interconnectedness and constant distraction.

It was a very interesting experience. Since the hours each day that I normally spend on the net were entirely freed up, it seemed like each day went so much more slowly. Time seemed to crawl..

When I use the Internet, I go all out: I have multiple tabs open, constantly scanning pages and clicking on links, uploading files of various kinds, more or less in a constant state of multi-tasking, a.k.a. distraction and getting not much of anything done. Because I'm so distracted, time seems to fly by. Taking away the Internet takes away a lot of the potential for that distracted state, and the day seems to last a lot longer. It seems like there's so much more time to do things, and I get more interested in what's going on outside the world of computers and the web.

Since Saturday I've been back to spending hours each day on the net. And here I sit with my headphones on, soaking in the neverending flow of information, back in the perpetual search for pages that will interest or amuse me for all of ten minutes each if I'm lucky. I could be doing much more interesting things, things with some kind of consequences, and yet I keep at this out of inertia.

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Originally posted by nchs09 I think life in Latin America in general is different. People are more friendly and approachable. I bet you even with out computers, Mexico would be filled with more friendly people than brooklyn.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying man. People don't judge you and they're more frank and don't need to act 'nice' and hide what they really feel. Computers is what really makes us less sociable and far less approachable. I know it sounds cliche but you have to experience it to truly assert it. To hell with brooklyn, I need to get the fuck out!

the computer/internet sucks, it would be awesome to live in 19th century where no one can hide behind a screen to talk shit or tell lies

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Originally posted by leph555

I HATE TURTLES!!!

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Originally posted by medinaM5 the computer/internet sucks, it would be awesome to live in 19th century where no one can hide behind a screen to talk shit or tell lies

Don't need to go that far back...

Just go back to the 1940s when very few people had TVs and *nobody* had personal computers.

Now that turtles are out of the way, I shall quote James Joyce;

quote:

"A new generation is growing up in our midst, a generation actuated by new ideas and new principles. It is serious and enthusiastic for these new ideas and its enthusiasm, even when it is misdirected, is, I believe, in the main sincere. But we are living in a sceptical, and, if I may use the phrase, a thought-tormented age: and sometimes I fear that this new generation, educated or hypereducated as it is, will lack those qualities of humanity, of hospitality, of kindly humour which belonged to an older day. Listening to the music of of all the great musicians of the past it seems to me, I must confess, that we are living in a less spacious age. Those days might, without exaggeration, be called spacious days: and if they are gone beyond recall let us hope, at least, that in forums such as this we shall speak of them with pride and affection, still cherish in our hearts the memory of those dead and gone great ones whose fame the world will not willingly let die." - James Joyce, passage from "The Dead"

I would probably do a ton more socializing if I didn't have a computer. Also a lot more reading.

And I would be excelling in school rather than just teetering on the edge of failure.

For me, the problem isn't mostly the computer itself; it's the Internet. A computer on its own doesn't act as a substitute circle of friends and acquaintances. But the Internet can and quite often does.

I've had computers all my life, but it wasn't until I got the Internet that the computer started getting in the way of lots of other things.

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Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles For me, the problem isn't mostly the computer itself; it's the Internet. A computer on its own doesn't act as a substitute circle of friends and acquaintances. But the Internet can and quite often does. I've had computers all my life, but it wasn't until I got the Internet that the computer started getting in the way of lots of other things.

Yeah man.

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Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles I could be doing much more interesting things, things with some kind of consequences...

Actually, I think that may be part of the appeal of "net socializing" -- it mostly doesn't have serious consequences. You can talk shit all you like, exaggerate your good characteristics and your accomplishments, say things you don't mean, defend positions you don't actually hold, and sound much more intelligent and composed than you would in person. And if somebody annoys you, just click and they're gone. It makes things easy.

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I love my computer you make me feel alright every waking hour and every lonely night I love my computer for all you give to me predictable errors and no identity and it's never been quite so easy I've never been quite so happy all I need to do is click on you and we'll be joined in the most soul-less way and we'll never ever ruin each other's day cuz when I'm through I just click and you just go away ... the world outside is so big but it's safe in my domain because to you I'm just a number and a clever screen name -- Bad Religion - "I Love My Computer"

quote:

Originally posted by Project-K Now that turtles are out of the way, I shall quote James Joyce;

Joyce rules.

Nobody in the post-TV age can touch the writers of his era.

Yeah, I suppose if I went too far back then i might end up fighting with edison over electricity like this dude

I dont have a cell phone and I love it

quote:

Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles Since Saturday I've been back to spending hours each day on the net. And here I sit with my headphones on, soaking in the neverending flow of information, back in the perpetual search for pages that will interest or amuse me for all of ten minutes each if I'm lucky. I could be doing much more interesting things, things with some kind of consequences, and yet I keep at this out of inertia.

1. I heard that there is a physical addiction to the glow of a TV screen, so if some of you still have CRT monitors, that's part of it.


2. Personally, if I step back and look at my internet usage, I find that most of the time I look for small bits of information that will keep me amused anywhere from 20 seconds to 5 minutes. It's like the attention span is just non-existent, and it gets shorter. Basically, I surf the web to pass time - not to feel bored, I don't actually do much useful stuff. I love watching movies, but most of the time I'm mostly on the web because it's so hard to start watching a movie - it requires sitting in one spot (I guess the internet does too) and paying attention for 2 hours. So instead I surf.

However, if I leave the computer for about 2-3 days, I find it much easier to not care about what's happening online. As a semi-famous Russian author said, "If you sit in front of the computer connected to the net and every 30 seconds you click a link or refresh a picture, almost every time it'll show you a new and sometimes even an interesting thing. But if you don't go online for a week, or even better, a month or two, then after that if you log in, you'll find that absolutely nothing new and, even more so, nothing interesting has happened"

I think we get caught up in the small tiny bits of information and it seems important to us, but if we step away and look at the larger picture, than things like this post don't actually matter.

Even though I started using the internetwebs when I was about, say, ten or eleven, I still don't see how anybody can see life without it as something "weird" or "odd." Hell, most of you posting here didn't have it when you were younger so you already know just how fun and exciting life can be when you don't have it.

It's not a "strange" concept at all.

Into the Wild then :]]

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Originally posted by whiskers I think we get caught up in the small tiny bits of information and it seems important to us, but if we step away and look at the larger picture, than things like this post don't actually matter.

Exactly.

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Originally posted by idoru Even though I started using the internetwebs when I was about, say, ten or eleven, I still don't see how anybody can see life without it as something "weird" or "odd." Hell, most of you posting here didn't have it when you were younger so you already know just how fun and exciting life can be when you don't have it. It's not a "strange" concept at all.

+1

Also, My computer usage has actually gotten a lot lower as I have gotten older. I prefer to go out with friends than be on the computer. When I have a job, I try to do things with friends, away from the internet/computer that promote social interaction.

Wait, you mean you went on vacation and the lifestyle was...different? NO WAY!!!

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Originally posted by gehzumteufel +1

I'm keeping my children away from as much internet as I can until they've developed enough social skills to be able to do just fine without it.

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Originally posted by idoru I'm keeping my children away from as much internet as I can until they've developed enough social skills to be able to do just fine without it.

From personal experience, I can say that I wish I was limited with my usage of the internet more. I was on it way to much, and developed social skills way late. It hasn't really been that detrimental to me now, as I did start getting out early enough to offset it mostly, but I do still have situations I am unsure of. I know I will be limiting my kids (if I have any) time with tv and internet. I won't control them in what they can and can't eat/watch too much, because it just leads to over indulgence later in life, but won't allow them to just spend all their time with the internet or watching TV.

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Originally posted by gehzumteufel From personal experience, I can say that I wish I was limited with my usage of the internet more. I was on it way to much, and developed social skills way late. It hasn't really been that detrimental to me now, as I did start getting out early enough to offset it mostly, but I do still have situations I am unsure of.

This happened to me towards the latter part of middle school and proceeded through a good portion, if not most, of high school.

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Originally posted by idoru This happened to me towards the latter part of middle school and proceeded through a good portion, if not most, of high school.

Heh, I had started partying with a lot of russians at 15. So I had a lot of social interaction there, but it was still limited in scope and applicability to the rest of life.

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