Читать книгу Overcoming Internet Addiction For Dummies - David N. Greenfield - Страница 84

The Internet is a unique form of technology; it’s not just a communication or information tool, but it’s also a place to go in and of itself, as you discover in this section. Early in its history, we assumed that the Internet was like many earlier communication modalities such as the telephone, radio, movies, and television, and that the Internet would simply be another tool to connect and entertain. Although e-commerce was seen early on as a possible use for the Internet, no one could have imagined how quickly it would morph into not just a means to connect, but a destination to connect to as well.

What do I mean by a destination? The Internet is a place to virtually hang out, not just on chat sites, but to shop, trade stocks, game, gamble, or hang out on a social media site like TikTok, Reddit, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, or Facebook. The Internet is not simply a means to an end, but it has become an end to itself. It was a new place to go, and it has only increased in this capacity to entertain and captivate. In fact, there is such a small boundary between real-time and virtual these days that many of us don’t differentiate between the time we are online and the time we are off-line (even though essentially, we are never off-line anymore with our smartphones always in our pockets).

Unlike when the Internet made its debut and we had to dial up to get online (kind of like getting in the car to go somewhere), the Internet connection is now always live with high-speed DSL, cable, satellite, fiber-optic, and fast smartphone connections. Even a slower DSL connection is always on, and a seamless highway is always open on your desktop, laptop, smartphone, or TV. This connected factor is in part what makes the Internet so powerful — and there is something intoxicating about having the world’s information and people at your fingertips.