Virtual World

cliveh · Oct 23, 2012

Should be in soap box forum, but can't find it. As many people today seem to live entirely in the virtual world, would it be useful for countries to agree to shut down the worldwide web for a day, so that people could reconnect (if only briefly) with reality? Easy to say, but impossible to do and perhaps such a pause in communication could be very dangerous.

Thomas Bertilsson · Oct 23, 2012

What do you do besides think of possible scenarios all day long?

It's an interesting thought experiment, I think, to remove something that is almost ingrained in today's minds. When I visit my grandparents' farm in Sweden I wonder for a few minutes what the rest of the world is up to, but after a while I just let go of the electronic world and enjoy sitting in their back yard, drinking coffee, and talking about memories and such, or even just being quiet together. They are part of a generation that will likely never own a mobile phone, a computer, or any other device that it connected to the internet, other than a landline telephone and an old TV set with antenna only. I admire their lifestyle, and wish I could do the same, actually.
It's so easy now to keep in touch with friends from old days, and people far away, that every time I interact with them that it doesn't feel special anymore.
But every time I pick up the phone and call my grandparents, there is a sense of joy of simply just talking to them on the phone, and there is something of real substance to talk about too, because it's usually weeks or maybe even a month or two between talks.

Ghostman · Oct 23, 2012

I get very frustrated by constantly being online. I work with computers, I carry a blackberry and am always online at home. This is one of the reasons I am becoming more interested in traditional photography as it is completely off-line.

I despair at the state of humanity constantly worshipping some digital rectangle.

I spend 4 hours a day on a train and I read a book, I leave the Kindle at home It's time out for me. I have an addictive personality and I have to work very hard to take time out from being online. I am getting better at it. It gets me down how seductive it is and how gripped everyone is. Nobody, at least in my circles, can concentrate for longer than 30 seconds before unapologetically fingering away at some device.

I recently lost my phone and it was such a blessing. I was almost sad when someone found it and sent it back to me. At least I live in a country where someone would send your lost phone back to you.

AndreasT · Oct 23, 2012

Being online is a drug. APUG is rather addictive as well. Every now and then I force myself not to go online for a few days.
I do not own a mobile phone, never have and never want to. That is a freedom which is important for me. It is wonderful but one does get treated like an alien. Which can be fun as well.

removed account4 · Oct 23, 2012

that would be very dangerous, not only for the people who are plugged in
but for businesses whose 1 day loss could be billions of dollars of losses.

cliveh · Oct 23, 2012

Thomas Bertilsson said:
What do you do besides think of possible scenarios all day long?

Thomas, I dont think about these possibilities all day long, but merely seconds. To quote the late John Glasham: -A sensitive portrait, etched by Madame Duvon, shows him at work with his Psychotheric Ray Tube.

Says Glashan: with this instrument I can grasp a single moment of thought and examine it at leisure for months years, if necessary.

Ken Nadvornick · Oct 23, 2012

I'm gonna' have to skip this one...

This is my number one rant scenario. The inability of most people today to draw a meaningful distinction—or for that matter, to even recognize—the difference between virtual and real is nothing short of staggering. And it goes far beyond the differences between virtual images and real photographs. It influences every corner of everyday society. And not for the better.

Gotta' stop now before I go off the deep end. Again.

"There's no way that's a real puppy, that's too small to be a real puppy."

Duh...

Ken

semi-ambivalent · Oct 23, 2012

Ghostman said:
I despair at the state of humanity constantly worshipping some digital rectangle.

At first I read that as "digital rectum". At times, how apt.

Think I'll go offline and develop that roll of Tri-X that's on the dresser. Sauce for the goose and all...

s-a

winger · Oct 23, 2012

"There's no way that's a real puppy, that's too small to be a real puppy."

That commercial is mostly responsible for me turning off my computer more, barely using facebook anymore, and dropping several other forums. APUG and photochimps remain, but not much else.
I'd rather be out in the woods. And since tomorrow is a daycare day and it's supposed to be nice, I will be.

blansky · Oct 24, 2012

We are rapidly becoming bombarded 18/7 with noise.

Constant visual stimulation overpowers our brains and the long term effect of this "noise" is yet to be seen.

Already we are diagnosing a lot of ADHD in children that may or may not be attributed to this but with the addictive nature of computers and the lack of exercise to "clear the mind" it has to have some effect on them.

I don't really see anti social behavior or lack of socialization in people but I think the bombardment of stimulation has to cause a lot of added stress.

Stephanie Brim · Oct 24, 2012

winger said:
That commercial is mostly responsible for me turning off my computer more, barely using facebook anymore, and dropping several other forums. APUG and photochimps remain, but not much else.
I'd rather be out in the woods. And since tomorrow is a daycare day and it's supposed to be nice, I will be.

Ugh. Facebook. We hates it, precious. *shudder*

I do have to admit that without Twitter and other online avenues I'd have very little money for any fun things like photography supplies. See, I dye yarn. You know, for knitting. Well, and crocheting, but I tried that once and ended up with some knots in expensive wool/cashmere blend yarn. Anyway, I sell online. Completely. I do it all by hand with one stupid little pot in my kitchen. Without the internet, there would be no customers. Or, well, there would definitely be many fewer customers.

Thanks to the internet I've been able to ditch cable TV, connect with people I'd never been able to talk to previously, buy various cameras of questionable value, find other knitters who aren't 80 and *do* know how to swear occasionally, learn lots of different things with both online tutorials and Youtube, find lots of interesting (and somewhat questionable) international entertainment (Agfa Style should be the next Gangnam Style cover), and suffer just a bit less from the isolation one feels as a stay-at-home-mom without a second car in a tiny town with no public transportation.

It has its ups and downs as everything does.

batwister · Oct 24, 2012

I think there is a growing consciousness about the responsibility sites like Facebook will, one day, have to face. But the problem might be that the people who actually have the power to give such websites 'curfews' are addicted themselves. But then again, these are the kind of people who make a living from contradicting themselves. So not sure who can save us.

lensman_nh · Oct 24, 2012

blansky said:
We are rapidly becoming bombarded 18/7 with noise.

Constant visual stimulation overpowers our brains and the long term effect of this "noise" is yet to be seen.

Already we are diagnosing a lot of ADHD in children that may or may not be attributed to this but with the addictive nature of computers and the lack of exercise to "clear the mind" it has to have some effect on them.

I don't really see anti social behavior or lack of socialization in people but I think the bombardment of stimulation has to cause a lot of added stress.

I'm not aware of any use of the Ludovico Technique.

Most ADHD is actually boys being boys. When I was at school there was lots of physical activity and rough-housing as well as competitive sports. Now, not so much. It's "too dangerous". We have a philosophy in our house that childhood isn't childhood without a few cuts and bruises and preferably a scar to boast about.

Now they seem to want to drug kids for being kids. That pent up energy goes somewhere.

The number of true ADHD cases is actually quite small. Some of the rest are mis-diagnosed cases of other developmental issues such as SPD. The bulk of the remainder are just boys being boys.

winger · Oct 24, 2012

Lensman, I have a two-year-old boy who has been described as "all boy" since he was barely crawling. He currently has a fat lip from banging into daddy's desk. His dad had his first set of stitches at the age of two 'cause he ran into a corner of a wall at his grandmother's house. First stitches of many. I never had stitches as a kid, but certainly had many bruises. If anyone ever tries to tell me he's ADHD, they'll be getting a lecture. He's active - just like a boy should be, imo. I'm just hoping I can get him to use the right amount of technology but balance it well with physical activity.

Stephanie, if I was anywhere near Iowa, I'd pick you and the kids up to go somewhere fun - I'm also a SAHM, but we have too many cars (not all run). My mom knits, spins, weaves, and dyes - yup, she's 71 and doesn't swear.

E. von Hoegh · Oct 25, 2012

cliveh said:
Should be in soap box forum, but can't find it. As many people today seem to live entirely in the virtual world, would it be useful for countries to agree to shut down the worldwide web for a day, so that people could reconnect (if only briefly) with reality? Easy to say, but impossible to do and perhaps such a pause in communication could be very dangerous.

Shut it down for one month per year if you ask me.

cliveh · Oct 25, 2012

E. von Hoegh said:
Shut it down for one month per year if you ask me.

That maybe too long, but if a non-virtual day was introduced into the calander year, would many people adopt it and would it be beneficial?

hdeyong · Oct 26, 2012

I think it would, if nothing else but to make it obvious to people that they do indeed spend too much time in front of a monitor, and not enough being active. You don't really know you're addicted until you can't have it, and the 24 hour deprival might just make some people think.

Stephanie Brim · Oct 26, 2012

winger said:
Stephanie, if I was anywhere near Iowa, I'd pick you and the kids up to go somewhere fun - I'm also a SAHM, but we have too many cars (not all run). My mom knits, spins, weaves, and dyes - yup, she's 71 and doesn't swear.

I want to get into weaving, but my husband says a loom won't fit in our house. He's probably right, though.

Also, my maternal grandmother says 'damn' and 'shit', but won't say anything else. It's really, really funny to see an 84 (almost) year old woman say that when she does something wrong. Heh. I love her, and I'm glad she's healthy because my life will be so empty when she's gone. One of the reasons I'm getting the big cameras set back up is because she's been in the hospital lately for a lot of various things and I want to get some really nice photos taken of her. She's the one in the picture in the gallery.

mark · Oct 26, 2012

My cell died 2 weeks ago. It has been wonderful. Only drawback is how important it is. I have to get another this weekend. Too many of my customers only call it and it is my credit card machine.

Since you mention it I think I will take a net holiday.

Virtual World

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency