I stumbled upon this quote in my "quotes of the day" on my computer....
"The Internet is like alcohol in some sense. It accentuates what you would do anyway. If you want to be a loner, you can be more alone. If you want to connect, it makes it easier to connect." -Esther Dyson
I thought this completely applied to our class, and I also think it's very true. I had no idea who Esther Dyson was, so I decided to use the wonderful tool called wikipedia to look her up. She is a journalist and commentator on emerging digital technology, an entrepreneur, and a philanthropist from Switzerland. Other than that, there's not much else about her besides her very interesting view of both the internet and alcohol.
On another note...(this is slightly a different spin on what the quote is saying) is it possible to become addicted to the internet? Do we rely on it, and have we become dependent of it? Is it possible to have "internet-ism"? Is there such a thing as being on the internet too much? Of course there are no rehab centers for over-use of the internet.. should there be?
One thought jumps into my head initially, that kids (or adults) stay up waay too late playing video games, tweeting, facebook stalking, etc. I think it's definitely possible that some people are addicted to the internet and technology. Is this just the new social norm or is it becoming an actual problem?
HA! Wow, I love it!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely applicable to class! It's just what you make of it, and it has the ability to bring out the worst or the best in you!
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Never thought of it that way but it's so true.
ReplyDeletewow, I had to think about this for a bit. The idea that the internet can be either a public or private space, pending on how we want to use it, is an interesting one. However, I'm not really sure how one goes about being a loner on the internet. To me, that simply means that they're not using the internet at all....thoughts?
ReplyDeleteThis is a great quote! I think like alcohol it's fine when used in moderation, but unfortunately for some people it can take over their life. However it changed the way we live life, so I think the questions you ask will be a lot harder to answer.
ReplyDeleteThis is an excellent quote, I will be suing this---so thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreat quote!
ReplyDeleteI def think that we can become too dependent on the internet and even obsessed with its accessibility. Just think about it. You can check your back account any time anywhere on your phone, from your iPad, or even from your car. WOW what has the world come to. Its a good thing but also not so good, if all we depend on is technology.
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