nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

Has the internet ruined our lives and made us all self centered selfish snowflakes.

Mr. Incognito

I am at an age where I remember the internet actually becoming a thing.

First it was chat rooms, then facebook, then snapchat, now instagram and twitter.

We have literally unlimited information at our disposal. The Vast Library of Human knowledge, ALL knowledge, in a small phone beside us.

I'm no psychologist but human behaviour has changed enormously as I can see. I was coming back to Dublin on a train over Christmas and a girl was in the carriage travelling alone taking dozens of selfies as you do.

It used to be rude to have your phone out when you were talkig to people but is socially acceptable now. And god help you if you go to a gig or anything scenic. It's just people taking 2 minute videos of things (Does anybody actually watch these things?? or selfies in front of some vista. )

Basically it's all me, me, me, me, me. Whatever vacous thought you have, post it on twitter. Every meal you have on instagram.

And people consume this tripe.

The unbridled vastness of information and people want to watch someone apply make up or take selfies at the gym.

I was watching a documentary about an air show crash that happened in post war britain. They had the crash and they cleared the dead pilots and spectactors and got on with the rest of the show.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1952_Farnborough_Airshow_crash

This blew my mind. They literally cleared their dead relatives, popped everyone off to hospital and got on with the day with the kiddies. One of the survivors was interviewed and said it was just after the war and people were tough and resilient and just got on with things. If that happened today there would be an hyper orgy of media grief for months. Just look at how recent disasters have been treated.

Despite all this vast information people are less educated, less knowledgable, less considered because they spend their day watching cat videos or equally vaous twits or reading issues that have been condensed to 160 characters. Journalism has been reduced to ctrl C ctrl V and throw in a few comments from twitter users.

The poster boy of course is Trump who is literally throwing a hissy fit in the US until he gets his wall. A 70+ year old throwing a 5 year olds tantrum.

But the consequence of this me me me me me culture without any engagement or empathy has very real consequences. It dehumanises and simplifies issues. It divides people. The consequences of the internet has meant that all the village idiots could get together and starting spreding nonsense like anti vaccine propoganda.

It seems to be accelerating. Brexit which was a bum fight in the conservative party is a disaster. Politicians literally said "we can have our cake and eat it". What sort of idiot says that. What sort of idiot actually believes that.

I know that the genie is out of the bottle and I realise the inherent irony of complaining about the internet, on the internet but Its really profound the negative consequences or the darker side of humans it has helped amplify.

TLDR. Is the internet actually destroying us as a species or are we basically a bunch of selfish bastards anyway.

Find more posts tagged with

Quick Links

Comments

freshpopcorn

facehugger99 wrote: »

I have a 15 year old niece (by marriage). She did a bit of babysitting for us over Christmas. She literally never took the phone out of her hand the whole time we were talking to her, hardly made eye-contact.

We were making small talk like 'how's school going?' and she's just staring at her phone occasionally tapping at the screen while giving monosyllabic answers.

I'm not sure if she's typical of that generation, but if she is god fcuking help them.

Teenagers never want to talk to there boring relatives especially with typical rubbish questions such as 'How's school'' now at least they can look at there phones!

blackwhite

Before the internet the village idiot wasn't known by anyone outside his village, which meant he/she was simply ignored whenever they started spouting rubbish.

The internet has allowed the idiots from villages around the world to talk to each other and convince themselves that they're right. And because there's a big group of them, it convinces other people to actually take them seriously (even though they are still spouting rubbish).

Roger Hassenforder

LinkedIn though
Where would we be without it?

Its like Facebook for wänkers, a cringefest of narcissistic snake oil salesmen and self aggrandizing twats making up fake job titles and flogging old rope

At least with Twitter its funny when something kicks off

lawred2

Older people lamenting modernity is so new... I remember a time when older people embraced modernity without nostalgia induced delusions..

Those were the days

blackwhite

Wibbs wrote: »

I would disagree Mr. In. People are more informed today in general. The rose tinted glasses of the past tends to obscure how little people knew beyond their own lives/work/interests. More, how hard it was to get information and from different sources. Sure the sources are all over the place now and require an open and discerning mind to sift through them, but they at least are there*.

In the "pre-internet" days, people tended to be more willing to acknowledge what they did and didn't know. They were more open to listening to other people who had greater knowledge about an area than they did themselves.

There's a large cohort now who believe that watching a 5 minute youtube video (which may or may not be accurate to begin with) makes them an unquestionable expert in the subject matter, and will refuse to listen to anyone else's advice or opinion on the matter.
Take a look at the contempt for "experts" displayed time and again by large swathes of the population - regardless of the topic.

Alf Veedersane

The greatest tragedy is that the internet has ruined table quizzes.

freshpopcorn

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

The greatest tragedy is that the internet has ruined table quizzes.

I think mobile phones ruined table quizzes!

Alf Veedersane

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I think mobile phones ruined table quizzes!

Well...mobile phones accessing the internet.

sk8erboii

freshpopcorn wrote: »

Teenagers never want to talk to there boring relatives especially with typical rubbish questions such as 'How's school'' now at least they can look at there phones!

This sooo much lol

screamer

You must look at the internet like a tool, it’s not the tool that makes things happen, it’s the idiots using it. If you don’t like it don’t use it

freshpopcorn

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Well...mobile phones accessing the internet.

I some how managed to wiggle onto table quiz teams in primary school.
People used just text there parents the questions if they got stuck. No need for internet access.

Alf Veedersane

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I some how managed to wiggle onto table quiz teams in primary school.
People used just text there parents the questions if they got stuck. No need for internet access.

I blame the parents.

quokula

jmayo wrote: »

Jaysus this is my idea of the beginning of the web as we know it.

I can remember watching Grand Prixs where there were major crashes with people dying and they kept on racing.

Likewise I remember the night in May 1985 when English hooligans, linked to a favourite club of Irish people, charged and killed 39 people and injured over 600 in a Belgium stadium.
The game went ahead.

The viewers did not really realise the scale of the disaster before kick off.
I think listening to players talk they did have an idea of just how bad it was and most were not interested in the game.
Officials had thought it was better with less risk of violence to play it.

I think things changed around the time of princess Di where suddenly there was this mindset of huge collective mourning or sadness.

Things have gotten worse I think since social media has taken hold.

In fairness I wouldn't describe an end racing drivers being killed in action and dozens of football fans being murdered in advance of matches as things "getting worse"

lawred2

quokula wrote: »

In fairness I wouldn't describe an end racing drivers being killed in action and dozens of football fans being murdered in advance of matches as things "getting worse"

Yeah but everybody just 'got on with it' or something

Church on Tuesday

It has become a thriving ground for bullies.

NIMAN

At the end of the day, the OH would take 5mins on FB and flick through it.

A few times, sitting along side, I noticed that every post was either from someone, shop or online retailer selling something, or from some 'influencer' like a clothes guru or interior design etc.

I asked "when was the last time you actually seen a post from one of your friends?"

"months ago" was the reply.

FB was originally created for friends to keep in contact with each other, was it not?

Now it just appears to do a place to sell stuff?

jonnny68

Millennial snowflakes and the PC brigade are certified weirdoes, seriously wtf is wrong with these lunatics, imagine spending so much of your time getting offended by absolutely ridicalous things, it's almost like a drug to them that they have to get offended.

Society.... where did it all go wrong!!!

Alf Veedersane

jonnny68 wrote: »

Millennial snowflakes and the PC brigade are certified weirdoes, seriously wtf is wrong with these lunatics, imagine spending so much of your time getting offended by absolutely ridicalous things, it's almost like a drug to them that they have to get offended.

Society.... where did it all go wrong!!!

Millennial snowflakes.
PC brigade.
Ridicalous.

What do they even mean?

mcmoustache

Ger Roe wrote: »

Here's an opinion that I will offer.... to be shot down in flames.

I think the problem arises when you make anything easy to access by those who would otherwise have no idea about how it works, what it could do, and how to use it. When you 'App' everything so that there is no effort required to use it or no consequence, then that service or facility or technology descends rapidly towards the lowest level possible.

The internet was so much better before old people and edgelord kids got on it. Back when I started out online, you needed to use irc or bitchX for chat, slrn or tin for forums. It was mostly students and you needed to be at least clever enough to figure out these client applications before you could do anything meaningful with them. It was a filter of sorts, keeping the morons away. There were always cnuts online but at least they weren't dumb cnuts.

Now, every moron has a phone with facebook pre-installed and they give their own ill-informed garbage-brain-sputter of opinion the same weight as that of experts. They're emboldened by people of similar mental retardation who hang around Daily Mail comment sections and facebook groups for similarly ill-informed gobshítes. It would be fine if they stayed there where they could be quarantined and avoided but their poorly educated mind-splatter now bleeds into practically every online forum.

ArchXStanton

The youth are definitely more narcissistic, just observing them down at the gym, they can't even hold a decent conversation

demanufactured

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

I am at an age where I remember the internet actually becoming a thing.

First it was chat rooms, then facebook, then snapchat, now instagram and twitter.

We have literally unlimited information at our disposal. The Vast Library of Human knowledge, ALL knowledge, in a small phone beside us.

I'm no psychologist but human behaviour has changed enormously as I can see. I was coming back to Dublin on a train over Christmas and a girl was in the carriage travelling alone taking dozens of selfies as you do.

It used to be rude to have your phone out when you were talkig to people but is socially acceptable now. And god help you if you go to a gig or anything scenic. It's just people taking 2 minute videos of things (Does anybody actually watch these things?? or selfies in front of some vista. )

Basically it's all me, me, me, me, me. Whatever vacous thought you have, post it on twitter. Every meal you have on instagram.

And people consume this tripe.

The unbridled vastness of information and people want to watch someone apply make up or take selfies at the gym.

I was watching a documentary about an air show crash that happened in post war britain. They had the crash and they cleared the dead pilots and spectactors and got on with the rest of the show.

This blew my mind. They literally cleared their dead relatives, popped everyone off to hospital and got on with the day with the kiddies. One of the survivors was interviewed and said it was just after the war and people were tough and resilient and just got on with things. If that happened today there would be an hyper orgy of media grief for months. Just look at how recent disasters have been treated.

Despite all this vast information people are less educated, less knowledgable, less considered because they spend their day watching cat videos or equally vaous twits or reading issues that have been condensed to 160 characters. Journalism has been reduced to ctrl C ctrl V and throw in a few comments from twitter users.

The poster boy of course is Trump who is literally throwing a hissy fit in the US until he gets his wall. A 70+ year old throwing a 5 year olds tantrum.

But the consequence of this me me me me me culture without any engagement or empathy has very real consequences. It dehumanises and simplifies issues. It divides people. The consequences of the internet has meant that all the village idiots could get together and starting spreding nonsense like anti vaccine propoganda.

It seems to be accelerating. Brexit which was a bum fight in the conservative party is a disaster. Politicians literally said "we can have our cake and eat it". What sort of idiot says that. What sort of idiot actually believes that.

I know that the genie is out of the bottle and I realise the inherent irony of complaining about the internet, on the internet but Its really profound the negative consequences or the darker side of humans it has helped amplify.

TLDR. Is the internet actually destroying us as a species or are we basically a bunch of selfish bastards anyway.

Yup,
Should have kept it to desktop Pc's and laptops.
Smartphones are a bollox (says he typing this on a smartphone).

AllForIt

The Internet has been hugely beneficial to my personal education on a variety of subjects. Participating on boards played a part in that as well over the years.

If there is one thing I hate about the Internet is they way dating has moved over to 'online dating'. I hate it, I prefer old fashioned socializing even if that does involve unhealthy drinking.

PhiloCypher

jonnny68 wrote: »

Millennial snowflakes and the PC brigade are certified weirdoes, seriously wtf is wrong with these lunatics, imagine spending so much of your time getting offended by absolutely ridicalous things, it's almost like a drug to them that they have to get offended.

Society.... where did it all go wrong!!!

Says the guy getting offended at people getting offended at ridiculous things. It's almost like both sides are snowflakes and should stop pretending they're above the fray and superior.

PhiloCypher

jonnny68 wrote: »

Millennial snowflakes and the PC brigade are certified weirdoes, seriously wtf is wrong with these lunatics, imagine spending so much of your time getting offended by absolutely ridicalous things, it's almost like a drug to them that they have to get offended.

Society.... where did it all go wrong!!!

Says the guy getting offended at people getting offended at ridiculous things. It's almost like both sides are snowflakes and should stop pretending they're above the fray and superior.

Jim 77

The internet isn't going away, it's just going to become more pervasive, so maybe it's time to start teaching children to spot and deal with internet bullying, grooming, phishing, catfishing, addiction, isolation etc. It wouldn't take much time out of the curriculum and would have a lifetime of benefits.

lordlame

Bring back phishy

I bet that’s nattydred running the twitter troll machine

prinzeugen

The internet/computers has made some kids fat and stupid.

A report out the other day claims that kids in the UK eat 55g of sugar a day..

The WW2 ration was higher (63g a day) yet there were no fat kids in the 40's & 50s.

Its technology that is the problem. Kids should be outside not stuck to a screen.

But.. The internet is always right!

Irish_rat

The internet is a great resource and it really depends on how you use it.

I'm doing a lot of programming lately and it's been excellent for tutorials etc.

Scrolling through social media is a huge waste of time IMO.

realitykeeper

Wibbs wrote: »

I don't believe that for a second. We're the single most incredible creature to ever burst forth from nature. For all we know we may be the only ones around in the universe at this moment. Do we make mistakes? Hell yeah we do and continue to make them, but we make fewer mistakes as we go along. Go back a couple of centuries and your average person in any civilisation you care to mention was illiterate, lacked basic knowledge of the world beyond the village they grew up in and rarely wandered much further than said village, relying on kings and priests for guidance.

Even in industrial revolution UK, the carbon footprint of the average person 200 years ago was a lot less than it is now.

I think this story (from Apocalypto) is very powerful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obdDEv8ItzU

Graces7

Irish_rat wrote: »

The internet is a great resource and it really depends on how you use it.

I'm doing a lot of programming lately and it's been excellent for tutorials etc.

Scrolling through social media is a huge waste of time IMO.

OP needs to delete "all " from the thread title, please. Ta muchly