Is the Internet any good? [rant-ish]

[AlexHall74]

The Internet is a great resource; it is a tool to me, that's it.

I think people in general have become less social over the past few decades, probably in part because they are so goddman busy.

I agree with you Matt, I'm all about community. I have good relations with all my neighbors because I take a few minutes here and there to talk with them when I am mowing my lawn, taking out the garbage, or just if we both end up on our driveways at the same time.

For instance, last night my neighbor Cathy asked me and my other neighbor, Greg, to help her move a 60 inch TV into her house. Greg and I went over after dinner and got the job done in 10 minutes. Then this morning I needed maple syrup for our special Saturday, blueberry+banana pancakes/bacon/sausage/omelet breakfast; so I went over to Cathy's and borrowed some of hers.

Neighbors are a great resource, so is the Internet.

My neighborhood is a great community, so are some places on the Internet...like here!

But as far as people being locked away using 5 different IM programs at one time, downloading from multiple torrent sites, and never seeing the light of day...that's not me.

I have not had time to watch television for over 15 years. I have never watched an entire football or soccer game from start to finish in my entire life. I cannot bear to sit still on my ass for any extended period of time. The same is true for me and the Internet. I sit down at my PC, read my favorite spots, check my email, fire off some responses, and then get back to the 15 things that I'm doing at any one time.

Yes I like having the library of congress at my fingertips, yes I love digital music streams, yes I love forums and my Gmail account...but if I had to choose between that and a good game of poker with my friends or some time alone with my wife or an hour with my kids at the playground, the Internet loses EVERY time.