4 ms·

And more dependent on what? Real life? Or some other technology?

• deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
• ysavir 6y ago
  Real life. Most of what we do online is something we can do offline locally as well, but we've moved to an online version because of the short-term conveniences. But as the long-term consequences begin to show, there's nothing preventing us returning to a primarily offline world.
  • jlokier 6y ago
    I think the current pandemic is showing the opposite. Right now I'm able to attend conferences I couldn't go to before the pandemic, because they have moved online, and some of the best ones are in far away countries. Realistically, that can't happen in a primarily offline world. I'll miss them when they go back to offline, because I won't be able to attend any more. But even before, many things I enjoy, as well as many opportunities, are not happening in any one location on the planet. They aren't local, and still won't be wherever I move. Even reading & commenting on HN is not replicable offline. I've tried it: I've run real-life communities, places for people to meet and talk and make things together. As interesting as these are, the range of perspectives is narrow compared with the interestingness of an international community, even a niche-interest community like HN. I think you may be right about "long-term consequences", but I don't think we'll find we can change most of what we do online to offline locally. Instead I think we'll find we just have to stop doing what we do online, and do something else instead. Hopefully something we enjoy, rather than something that feels forced upon us.