So I get a lot of guilt-tripping - from others and myself - about being on the Internet as much as I am.
But the thing about it is that the Internet is NOT a horrible thing. I mean, no, it's not active, granted, and no, it's not outside, and yes, actually talking to someone in person is infinitely more rewarding and satisfying. But we can't ignore the fact that the Internet has a lot of value that people sometimes dismiss.
First of all, the obvious thing - the Internet is full of people. And you can meet people who have things in common with you, which is always a tempting aspect for me, since I have some of the most niche interests ever. And I joined Wattpad, and know what? I like the Wattpad community. And I did chat with people I hadn't before met. And I haven't yet been kidnapped.
But since, besides Wattpad, I really don't engage myself in the social media scene (yep, no Facebook, no Twitter, no Tumblr, no nothin'!) I'm just going to skip right over that one, since I don't really have a whole lot of personal experience.
But what I really like about the Internet is that it is a creative place. The Internet is full of content, getting more every single day, and some of it's videos and some of it's drawings and some of it's writing and some of it's music but everyday there is more content being added. And that's awesome. If we can make sharing and viewing art easier then there's nothing wrong with that.
And not only the content itself, but for all the content you like (*cough* TV shows *cough*) there's also commentary on how it was made. On like 80% of Internet drawings there's a whole explanation on how they did it and what technique they used, how long it took them, on maybe 60% of the music uploaded you can see them playing the instruments and singing, on maybe 50-60% of writing uploaded there's an author's note talking about what they did with their writing and on like 80% of original videos uploaded you can see how much effort they put in because we know they're not Hollywood done and yet it looks good and that doesn't happen in a night. Plus for every non-Internet thing you like there's some interview with someone about it or a review or a panel or something. So I actually think that the Internet is really helping us to see how much effort and how much time it takes to produce art, and I think with that knowledge also comes a more deep appreciation for art.
The Internet is really just an extremely large community. Once you're logged in, and using the Internet the way it's meant to be used, you're part of the community. And, if you're using it right, the community can be safe, and it's generally very accepting. I mean, sure, you've got your school yard bullies (on the Internet we refer to them as "trolls") and you've got your stuck-up know-it-alls (generally grammar nazis, or something like them), but in general everyone's just absorbing the content and being inspired, in their own way.
The Internet lets you be who you are.
I mean, just because of the sheer hugeness of the Internet, and the amount of content on it, there's something for everyone. You know how many videos are uploaded to Youtube per day? Neither do I. I do know that a hundred hours worth of videos are uploaded to Youtube PER MINUTE, so you do the math, I guess.
And you're not going to watch it all, of course. But somewhere in there will be something that appeals to you, that you'll really enjoy. And I, personally, like the idea of being able to really find something that definitely really appeals to you, rather than scouring the TV looking among the limited options for something you find even vaguely interesting, or hunting in bookstores for books that aren't a dumb teen romance (and people wonder why I still read Artemis Fowl and The Mysterious Benedict Society). And don't get me wrong, I will never EVER be reading something more online or on Kindles than out of a real, physical book. Books are the greatest. The turn of pages, the smell of ink and paper, there's something great about having it physically there. My point, though, is that the Internet is somewhere where you can come as close to personalizing your entertainment as you can possibly get.
And not only that, but, especially for me with my weird, obscure, culty interests/obsessions, and my strange thoughts and speculations, it's difficult to find people that I can relate to. I love my friends, but sometimes constantly not being understood or dancing around what I really want to talk about for the sake of avoiding awkwardness gets tiresome and lonely. But online, I find people like me. And even if I don't interact with them, since I'm not into all the social media stuff, it's nice just to know that they exist, and I am not actually as much of a freak as I let myself believe.
Internet addictions, are of course common. But that can't be blamed on the Internet itself. The problem with the Internet is not that it is dangerous (though it can be if you really don't know the rules), or that it is addictive. The Internet is only addictive the way alcohol can be addictive. If you're an alcoholic then you're going to get addicted to alcohol, because an alcoholic is not just someone who drinks to excess. An alcoholic is someone who has it coded in their DNA that they will get addicted to alcohol. Even if you never drink in your life, somehow, you can still be an alcoholic, you may just never find out.
Well, I'm almost completely certain that there are people who are exactly the same way about content and entertainment and consumption of these things. Content-aholics, if you will. The thing is that they're sort of a new breed because content has never been at this level of ease to access before now. I mean, sure, you had television, but then you were just consuming what people assumed you wanted (And even then, you wanna tell me there wasn't anyone addicted to television before now?). Now, having that instant feedback to the creators via comments/reviews/whatever the case may be, people know what you want, you're impacting your entertainment and so you're going to consume more of it. Cause you're invested in it now, so why wouldn't you?
The Internet isn't the problem. The problem is that people get addicted to content and the Internet just happens to be the most convenient "dealer" if you will. I mean, you wouldn't blame the liquor store for alcoholics, so why would you blame the invention of the Internet for content-aholics? It just doesn't make a lot of sense.
And it's just foolish to overlook the fact that the Internet is kind of an incredible resource to have. I learn so much when I'm on the Internet. No, really. I research information for the stories I write (recently had to learn the story of Agamemnon, Cassandra and Clytemnestra in great detail to incorporate it properly), and I learn things about myself when I examine my own opinions in comparison to other people online. Never has writing, research, sharing or learning ever been more easy, and things like that can't be overlooked.
But I will, however, be the first one to admit:
Hi, I'm Megan and I am a content-aholic.
[Hi Megan]
I spend far more time online than is probably healthy. I will be the first to admit that.
But we shouldn't forget that the Internet is not inherently evil, just as alcohol is not inherently evil. So please just stop the guilt-tripping.
Thanks.
P.S I will now share a line from MyMusic which is kind of great on a bunch of different levels (it's funny, true, freakin' difficult to memorize - I mean, well done).
Intern 2: Hey guys, we just got a call from the telephone company. They said we hadn't paid our bills, and they were going to
Indie and Loco Una : ...
Intern 2: ...
Indie: ...going to what?
Intern 2: I'm not sure. Our phone service got cut before they could finish.
Loco Una: We live in a texting, emailing, facebooking, G-chatting, tumbling, tweeting, pinging, Words-with-Friendsing, Draw-Somethinging society. I say we're better off without phone service.
Personally, I like the idea of directly talking to people - I would much rather phone someone than email them if I really want to talk to them. But as far as proving the point that the Internet is a useful tool, this pretty much says it all.
P.S.S I read somewhere that it was recommended that, in order to maintain a learning life, one should read, brainstorm, and browse the Net. "Watching tutorials and conducting research increases your capabilities." And since I brainstorm and read on a regular basis as well, I'm learning constantly apparently. And I can't say I disagree with that, either.
Just sayin'.