Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I don’t want to be an internet person

palladiummag.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 319 posts

Re: I don’t want to be an internet person

#61

Post by waboremo »

mattgreenrocks wrote: post #30
pixl97 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The Internet is a tool, not an endpoint. Not to be pedant about such things, but there may be a reason it's a common scifi trope that people are hooked to machines and live in virtual worlds. It is not out of question that the internet eventually becomes an endpoint in itself.

That's not pedantic at all. I've consciously decided I will favor Real Life over the Internet as much as possible. I really believe the meme that Nothing Happens On The Internet; it's a projection of the Real World and as people we are very susceptible to confusing the map for the territory. From the article: > You can close the computer, but the world will go on without you. Even if culture decides that the Internet…

The bigger impact here when it comes to internet/real life schism is the fact that employers will utilize any digital footprint to make judgments about you, and subsequently fire you or refuse to hire you because of it. At the same time, having a follower count beyond a certain threshold also gives you access to a lot of real life resources. Both of these have tremendous impact on people in many ways, as an example one of the careers kids have most wanted to become in several decades now has been internet-focused (youtubers, tiktokers, influencers, etc).

That's the issue with the qualifier "as much as possible". That will always be sliding towards increasing levels of digitalization that the qualifier becomes meaningless.

Re: I don’t want to be an internet person

#62

Post by pixl97 »

mattgreenrocks wrote: post #30
pixl97 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The Internet is a tool, not an endpoint. Not to be pedant about such things, but there may be a reason it's a common scifi trope that people are hooked to machines and live in virtual worlds. It is not out of question that the internet eventually becomes an endpoint in itself.

That's not pedantic at all. I've consciously decided I will favor Real Life over the Internet as much as possible. I really believe the meme that Nothing Happens On The Internet; it's a projection of the Real World and as people we are very susceptible to confusing the map for the territory. From the article: > You can close the computer, but the world will go on without you. Even if culture decides that the Internet…

Why not reverse it, I push a button on the computer and something falls out of the sky IRL. Your smart electric meter turns off. The water company shuts off your service. The internet is real life as much as you cannot tow a leaking oil tanker 'out of the environment'.

People don't need the internet to be narcissistic, they've done that fine for thousands of years without it.

Re: I don’t want to be an internet person

#63

Post by drummojg »

throwaway4aday wrote: post #38

I'm pretty sure this generalizes to everything. People who cultivate a persona in any sub-culture or domain seem to be a fish out of water when confronted in a different context. Take someone from the rave scene and plop them down in a microbrewery bar and everyone will gawk at the brightly colored fidgety person that has no idea what to order. Take a polished SV entrepreneur and deposit them in an Idaho roadhouse an…

I agree, it's an old notion, and reads somewhat Gibson-ish. I am enjoying the article. In a way the narrative matters less to me than the fact that it feels like the old days, and I'm glad this kind of zeitgeist is still clacking around the tubes.

Re: I don’t want to be an internet person

#65

Post by PixelForg »

This article has been eye opening for me, I too spent a lot of my time on the internet but thankfully never came across the deep end. Made me realize that there's no point in keeping up with memes and stuff and made me think about what actually matters

Re: I don’t want to be an internet person

#67

Post by jacooper »

cxf12 wrote: post #52

I now know that giving my 10 yo daughter a phone for Christmas 3 years ago was a huge mistake for the exact reasons this article sites.

I was given unfiltered access to the internet at an early age, yet I found my self avoiding almost every pitfall in it

I still don't why or how to direct kids towards having this "internal compass" to avoid weird or dangerous stuff.

Re: I don’t want to be an internet person

#68

Post by vsareto »

mattgreenrocks wrote: post #30
pixl97 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The Internet is a tool, not an endpoint. Not to be pedant about such things, but there may be a reason it's a common scifi trope that people are hooked to machines and live in virtual worlds. It is not out of question that the internet eventually becomes an endpoint in itself.

That's not pedantic at all. I've consciously decided I will favor Real Life over the Internet as much as possible. I really believe the meme that Nothing Happens On The Internet; it's a projection of the Real World and as people we are very susceptible to confusing the map for the territory. From the article: > You can close the computer, but the world will go on without you. Even if culture decides that the Internet…

There's some real value in social circles around games. Even if accomplishing things in game might be seen as a nothing, those social ties can be real.

Re: I don’t want to be an internet person

#69

Post by reneherse »

wahnfrieden wrote: post #54
reneherse wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you need to get in more. These types of characters certainly exist, and incongruous juxtapositions are often entertaining and sometimes enlightening.

people are also prismatic in identity and adaptation. though, playing against type is also commonly performative. you're both suggesting a kind of simplistic human form

Nothing I've said precludes the possibility of a prismatic and adaptive identity, nor surprising your audience.

Nor did I say having a deep, single or inflexible identity or persona is necessarily a bad thing.

Re: I don’t want to be an internet person

#70

Post by joemazerino »

jacooper wrote: post #67
cxf12 wrote: post #52

I now know that giving my 10 yo daughter a phone for Christmas 3 years ago was a huge mistake for the exact reasons this article sites.

I was given unfiltered access to the internet at an early age, yet I found my self avoiding almost every pitfall in it I still don't why or how to direct kids towards having this "internal compass" to avoid weird or dangerous stuff.

But when? The internet is much more dangerous now than it was in the late 90s.
Post reply on HN