It's more impressive when you turn this number around: 89% of Americans "use the Internet", up from just over 50% less than 20 years ago. That is an insane ado

It's more impressive when you turn this number around: 89% of Americans "use the Internet", up from just over 50% less than 20 years ago. That is an insane adoption curve for a network that basically didn't exist -- at least not in an approachable, mainstream way -- within the current memory of many of its users. That's faster than the update rate of either the telephone or electricity or indoor plumbing. (Arguably fair I suppose, since those things all require more infrastructure than the Internet does, which if needed can run over existing telephone infrastructure, and did for a long time.) And of the people who aren't using the Internet, the plurality (according to the article) are declining to use it by their own decision -- "just not interested" -- not because they can't afford to get online, or don't know how to, or some other externally-imposed hurdle. Which is their prerogative; if people aren't online, I'd hope it's by their own choice and not through inability (the same as not reading books -- if someone isn't reading books regularly, one hopes it's because they're not interested, not because they're illiterate).