The trend away from physicality began long before the internet. In fact, the ability to spend mental energy and effort on non-physical things is quite possibly

The trend away from physicality began long before the internet. In fact, the ability to spend mental energy and effort on non-physical things is quite possibly one of the defining features of humanity itself. Stories, religion, relationships, philosophy, basic societal concepts such as "ownership" or "justice"... all of these are abstractions from physicality. The invention of writing allowed us to make these abstractions even more elaborate, as did the rise of the intellectual class and the invention of printing. Electronic media is merely the next step on this same journey - it allows us to manipulate and record even more abstract ideas, and communicate them more effectively. In my humble opinion, although physicality and its accompanying physical experiences are certainly pleasant and integral to the experience of being alive, the ability to form, manipulate and care about non-physical abstractions is one of humanity's most noble defining features, and nothing to be afraid or ashamed of.