Today, I realized that over the past few months, my internet use has been reduced to watching film, listening to music or audiobooks, composing longform emails to friends and family, work-related email, chatting in quality forum communities such as ERE, and basic research.
The present state of the internet has induced me to use it sparingly. Too many pop-ups and other interruptions, too much obnoxious advertising and marketing, nudge theory mindf%ckery, clickbait news, fake sentimentality, fearmongering, social media, trolls, etc. It feels more and more like the virtual domain version of the setting for Blade Runner, a negative feedback loop of increasing competition for shrinking and increasingly overwhelmed attention spans. I prefer the early days of the internet, when it was more a domain for pioneering geeks, and less about maximizing consumption via manipulation that's now tailored to the individual level using algorithms that factor in personal internet use. So I guess in response I created my own anti-algorithm formula to help make my internet experience feel more simple and personable, and less dystopian and hyperconsumptive.
Has anyone else developed a similar mistrust and distaste for what seems to be a large swath of the internet, which led to similar changes in how you use it?
Changes in internet use habits
Changes in internet use habits
Last edited by EricG on Wed Jul 13, 2022 10:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Changes in internet use habits
Yes, that does about sum it up for me as well.
My main difference is that I don't tend to listen audiobooks, but rather podcasts while I do chores that are quiet enough to do while listening.
I have also played around with using the lynx web browser, as well as the "smol" internet (see:
https://thedorkweb.substack.com/p/gophe ... l-internet )
Ultimately, I find it better getting off the internet altogether and switching to books, nature, family, chores, making stuff and (just recently) working on my backgammon game.
My main difference is that I don't tend to listen audiobooks, but rather podcasts while I do chores that are quiet enough to do while listening.
I have also played around with using the lynx web browser, as well as the "smol" internet (see:
https://thedorkweb.substack.com/p/gophe ... l-internet )
Ultimately, I find it better getting off the internet altogether and switching to books, nature, family, chores, making stuff and (just recently) working on my backgammon game.
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Re: Changes in internet use habits
This is pretty much my experience too. I've ditched 90% of the Internet and just do things offline. I was a huge computer nerd growing up and would make my own websites/loved the indie web, but the internet now is not the same at all. Being as offline as possible is a huge boon to my life.
"The internet used to be an escape from real life. Now real life is an escape from the internet."
"The internet used to be an escape from real life. Now real life is an escape from the internet."
Re: Changes in internet use habits
That quote hits the mark. I think you're both right on about the benefits of being offline.