Is the internet/ world-wide web a blessing or a curse?
By Fleur
@Fleura (34935)
United Kingdom
March 21, 2021 10:04am CST
I often wonder this as I am a terrible procrastinator and hopelessly lacking in the ability to single-mindedly focus on one thing. Undoubtedly the web makes many things much easier and quicker - online shopping and banking, for example, instead of having to actually go to those places - during opening hours of course.
Without it I wouldn’t be able to work as I do. Receiving and sending assignments would have to be via fax or even post, and checking information would require trips to the library practically every day.
But I sometimes wonder whether the time saved on those pursuits is offset by the amount of time I spend (waste) getting distracted by all the stuff that’s out there. Previously I never bought a newspaper in my life, but just got the basic news from the radio. Now practically every day I read the news several times. Often I don’t even intend to, I just go to look at the weather forecast but then one thing leads to another…
Other times I look up some information, then something else catches my eye and I am off down the rabbit hole, where one story leads to another, raises another question, leads to some more information, and so on. One evening I quickly looked up the name of the type of lens used in lighthouses which I couldn’t quite remember (Fresnel, in case you were wondering) and before I knew it I had spent a couple of hours reading all about the fascinating history of lighthouses, the different designs, the lives of their builders and designers, great storms of history etc.
This morning I only wanted to check the route of a local footpath and next thing I was reading someone’s travel blog about exploring the Orkney islands.
I guess I just need to be a lot more disciplined.
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2021.
16 people like this
16 responses
@moffittjc (128831)
• Gainesville, Florida
21 Mar 21
Based on your self-incrimination in your post, the internet isn't the problem, it's your lack of discipline to stay focused on the task at hand! haha
But, with that being said, I can't point the finger at others who are guilty of this without first pointing the finger at myself. Yes, I too am guilty of going down rabbit holes when I'm online. I can sit down to check one thing which should take all of 12 seconds to do, and next thing I know I'm 6 hours into it.
By the way, your mention of lighthouses fascinates me, so I think that's the next rabbit hole I'm going to go down!
3 people like this
@moffittjc (128831)
• Gainesville, Florida
21 Mar 21
@Fleura I've probably already visited 10-12 other websites already since I jumped on the computer an hour ago to check my notifications on myLot. I've now realized why it takes me so long to get through all my notifications. I keep getting distracted!
2 people like this
@Fleura (34935)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 21
The lighthouse thread was really interesting. I read about the lenses, and the article said something about being the second (modern) lighthouse ever built, then of course I had to know what was the first one. Turns out that the Eddystone lighthouse off Plymouth in the English channel was first built in 1696.
The builder (who originally trained as an engraver!) was captured by the French but released on the orders of King Louis XIV. He was so confident in his lighthouse that he wished to be inside during 'the greatest storm there ever was' - and, as luck would have it, he was (the Great Storm of 1703), and was never seen again (nor was the lighthouse - but it was replaced, this time built by a civil engineer who also created a prodigious number of constructions and yet I had not heard of him either!).
I was surprised I'd never even heard of the Great Storm either, because that really was an apocalyptic event - I'll leave you to read all about this and the rest and I'll be surprised if you are not sucked in!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 21
@Fleura I'm much better than I used to be. I have saved myself such a lot of worry and angst by actually getting stuck in and doing things. Mostly they are quite simple things but I still used to put them off. Sometimes I'll make a list and just do three things before I allow myself to even consider anything else. It really helps my emotional state to not have things piling up in my mind and continually worrying about forgetting to do them. 
Maybe I'm getting smarter in my old age. 
Maybe I'm getting smarter in my old age. 2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174277)
• United States
9 Apr 21
I frequently go down the rabbit hole. But I learn so many fascinating facts when I do that, too.
This last weekend Pretty and I had to do without our internet. We had some interesting, and funny, conversations about what we did before we had internet. We also got a lot of work done around our house, too.
I did hook her computer up to my phone's hotspot since she earns more online than I do. I spent a lot of time reading and watching recorded movies I downloaded to our home storage over the last several years.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174277)
• United States
12 Apr 21
@Fleura True, like watch TV, go to the movies and go shopping.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (34935)
• United Kingdom
12 Apr 21
@DaddyEvil I was more thinking of things like ordering stuff using the telephone, looking up information in the library, that kind of thing!
1 person likes this
@DianneN (254949)
• United States
9 Apr 21
It’s so easy to be led astray on the internet. I’m always pressed for time, so learned how to stop myself from being led down the rabbit hole. Still read the daily paper, watch the TV news, and listen to the radio while doing other things. Otherwise, I’d be swallowed up for good.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (34935)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 21
I'm terrible, if I think of something I have to look it up right away, I find it really hard to tell myself to wait until I have finished what I'm doing. Even if I try to do that, I keep thinking about the other thing until I give in and look it up anyway!
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153544)
• India
22 Mar 21
I can compare it to fire. It depends on its correct use.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77084)
• Philippines
22 Mar 21
You are right, you just need to be a lot more disciplined.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
21 Mar 21
The internet is what we make of it in our lives it's just another tool. We should control it and not let it control us, very similar to money.
1 person likes this
@lazydaizee (6732)
• United Kingdom
22 Mar 21
I have often wondered this ,along with the idea that technology is supposed to make our lives easier. But by the time I have worked out how to use the technology , I could have done the task easier the old fashioned way. After having trouble with getting my emails hacked last year, I do not really trust the internet anymore.
1 person likes this
@nasutionfahmi9 (97)
• Medan, Indonesia
21 Mar 21
The internet makes life easier for me.
For me, the Internet is very positive if we use it wisely.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54714)
• United States
21 Mar 21
I do get some pleasure from it, but in many ways I think the world was better before it.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203396)
• Nashville, Tennessee
21 Mar 21
I learn something almost every day online. But I don't stay glued, except on myLot, ha! But I love bird watching out my window and the plants in my yard. So many questions can be answered in a few seconds online. We have to stay focused, that is for sure.
1 person likes this
