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Agreed on the latter point. But on the former, would it though? Prior to the internet, isolating yourself from the world involved making a very deliberate and d

Agreed on the latter point. But on the former, would it though? Prior to the internet, isolating yourself from the world involved making a very deliberate and drastic life choice that completely changed your environment, like joining a monastery. Now though, a compelling and addictive alternate world awaits us in our pocket at all times. Indeed, I doubt either of us really cares much about this “conversation” or each other yet here we are wasting part of our morning shouting into the void. On that note I think I’m done with unintentional internet use for the day.

JKCalhoun 5y ago
Spot on. Much, much easier to isolate yourself now. In fact, I'll concede it is even possible that you have to work not to isolate yourself when, after dipping your toe into the internet, you trip into the rabbit hole.
- sam0x17 5y ago
  It cuts both ways though. Without the internet I know for one I would definitely be a lot more isolated and have fewer social connections.
toyg 5y ago
> I doubt either of us really cares much about this “conversation” or each other yet here we are One of the big problems is that we do care for the conversation on these forums (see also the classic "somebody is WRONG on the internet" xkcd), but we don't really care for each other. Relatively few of us end up actually meeting offline or ever establishing real relationships. So you get the illusion of socialization, but when the chips are down, nobody is going to care in your hour of need - which means you're indeed alone shouting into the void. This was maybe less pronounced in the '90s, when internet groups were smaller and tighter. It's like sitting at some cafe on a small square talking to strangers - where in the past you'd be talking to the small cast of regulars, because the square was a bit hidden away from the main flow of people, but it has been since discovered by tourists, and now you're just chatting with passersby you'll never meet again, about topics you'll never do anything about.

JKCalhoun 5y ago

Spot on. Much, much easier to isolate yourself now. In fact, I'll concede it is even possible that you have to work not to isolate yourself when, after dipping your toe into the internet, you trip into the rabbit hole.

sam0x17 5y ago
It cuts both ways though. Without the internet I know for one I would definitely be a lot more isolated and have fewer social connections.

toyg 5y ago

> I doubt either of us really cares much about this “conversation” or each other yet here we are One of the big problems is that we do care for the conversation on these forums (see also the classic "somebody is WRONG on the internet" xkcd), but we don't really care for each other. Relatively few of us end up actually meeting offline or ever establishing real relationships. So you get the illusion of socialization, but when the chips are down, nobody is going to care in your hour of need - which means you're indeed alone shouting into the void. This was maybe less pronounced in the '90s, when internet groups were smaller and tighter. It's like sitting at some cafe on a small square talking to strangers - where in the past you'd be talking to the small cast of regulars, because the square was a bit hidden away from the main flow of people, but it has been since discovered by tourists, and now you're just chatting with passersby you'll never meet again, about topics you'll never do anything about.