The Internet Kind Of Sucks.

[László]

I've been on the internet for too long, maybe. I was an early adopter; back in the early 90s I subscribed to the very first service, run by - of all folks - Sears, and can't remember what it was even called. Then AOL. Then the general thing we all use now.

You know what? I think maybe I was happier before I ever went on the internet. I'm not sure that the internet has added very much to the quality of my life, though I've certainly spent a bajillion hours on it. I have no idea what the attraction is, when I could be talking to my wife instead. Oh wait, she likes to watch TV. I don't like watching TV unless there's a football game on.

I guess I have an excuse.

Today I visited a football site for my alma mater to see if there was recruiting news for the football team. Why? I don't know. I don't know these kids. And what was the hot topic? "Bands people hate." I mean, people go to a football site to talk about bands they don't like. Really? How does that make life any better? Do people really need to antagonize one another over music they don't want to listen to?

I would rather eat dog poop than even see a thread with that title, because the idea that there are thousands upon thousands of brainless morons for whom ragging on artists is an entertaining thing to participate in makes me sick.

People say the most horrible things imaginable about people they don't even know. They feel free to do it. They like to do it. I know a young figure skater who won Olympic gold medals, and you wouldn't believe the comments people post about her, to her face, on her internet pages. Really?

There are hate sites. Sites for every kind of religious hatred, terrorism, and other nonsense. How does hating make anyone's life better? "I know, let's find a bunch of like-minded a-holes and express our hate for stereotyped people we don't like, won't that be fun?"

There are sites for stupid people, apparently. This would be any site frequented by people that I, Les, in my unique and ultimate wisdom, think are stupid. This would be the majority of sites, by the way.

Even on sites I love - for example this one - there are frequently posts that make me want to do this:



"Then why do you bother going on the internet, Les?"

"Because in real life my friends aren't all that into guitar stuff, though I can't think of another excuse."

 

[bodia]

Well said! I'd add my thoughts, but I would just end up pi$$ed off.

 

[Kazz]

Like the rest of the world, there is a lot of horrible stuff on the Internet - most likely much more than you've even imagined - but there are a lot of great things too.

The big difference is that it's much easier for us to find both ends of the spectrum on the Internet, and when people feel anonymous, many of them feel free to do and say the most horrible things they think of when they wouldn't do or say them in other contexts.

Still, overall I think the Internet is a great thing.

 

[CoreyT]

I have spent so much time on the Internet since around 1994 when I got my first Windows PC, I finally ended up here one day.
http://hmpg.net/

 

[veinbuster]

The Internet is a convenient dumping ground for whatever happens to piss people off on any given day. I tend to frequent a few places that are mostly civilized and where it is easy to sidestep and ignore junk.

But it is a much handier way to find places I might be interested in when I go someplace new than opening a phone book and staring at the yellow pages.

 

[The Viking Gangster]

I sometimes find myself with the evening waisted away watching the dumbest things on You Tube. I kind of hate myself after that.

This forum is one of the more civil and kind places to be on the internet.

 

[Alan Manning]

Agreed. I'll only watch the box if my teams on, apart from that everything is generally guitar related.
Usually PRS related on you tube and interacting with the good people on the forum and learning from them.
It's true you never stop learning and yes this is a more civil and kind place to be.

 

[jfb]

A big, heartfelt thanks to the friendly members of this forum who inspired me to do some good for myself and others. It was a happier time in my life.

 

[JustRob]

I love the internet! Learning songs would have been much easier if YouTube existed way back when. I've used it to learn to fix everything from my car to my HVAC and much more. I have had and shared many a laugh on it.

But for the 1st time ever today I had to unfriend someone on FB. Sometimes people just suck.

But this place is pretty cool.

 

[László]

No doubt, certain internet things are useful. I've made some good friends on it!

But my question is, am I happier since I've been on it than I was before it existed? And the answer, of course, is no.

It's convenient for shopping and finding stuff, and it's nice to have sites like this. But there's a whole lot of negativity one is constantly confronted with that gets thrown in one's face at every turn. And that is bothersome to me.

 

[rugerpc]

Pleeeeeeeeeeeease refriend me, Rob!

 

[Blues Trucker]

Yes, the internet sucks,
but..............
it is the only truly free place on earth.

 

[gush]

I'm one of those that waited as long as I could to start an email account. I think I've only had my FB account for a year and a half.

Being on line too much makes me angry. When I want to order something I really don't want to give ALL my info up and I REALLY don't want all the solicitations that follow. .

90% of my on line time is VR, prs forum and ebay..

It is kind of embarrassing when somebody asks me to perform a task on my computer and I have no clue how to do it but that's how it is. I have my strengths but computer savy isn't one of them.

So I would have to say the internet hasn't effected me too much.

 

[bluefade]

Your post made me feel bad for you...

 

[bodia]

We were all a little more innocent and naive before the Internet came along. Call that good, or bad. Either way, it's wake up and smell the real world. Lots of easy access to good info = good. Haters and a colossal waste of time = bad. I build my own computers, and used to game a lot, but this is the only forum I am active on. Too much bickering and time wasted a lot of other places. I'm a simple guy from Iowa. I'd rather "press the flesh" than click the mouse. That said, there are plenty of good things about the web. This mellow place (for the most part) and the cool folks that hang out here, the ease of finding and buying cool gear, and the massive amount of instructional info is all cool. I try my best to ignore the rest, but it's hard. I may be an idiot, but I HATE stupid. And there's plenty of stupid on the web.

 

[gush]

Your post made me feel bad for you...

You talking about my post? LOL

 

[veinbuster]

I'm a simple guy from Iowa. I'd rather "press the flesh" than click the mouse.

I'm much the same, except for the Iowa part.
But the Internet does help me keep in touch with people that have moved away and it has introduced me to some new people that are worth making the effort to meet in real life - including yourself.

 

[László]

I was going to post a couple of answers to points raised by others, but the responses are obvious, and I needn't make them.

It's a weird world, and what can ya do.

Meantime, people with no talent whatsoever themselves will continue to rag on people who have succeeded in the arts; haters will recruit members on the web; brick and mortar stores will find it harder and harder to exist, and therefore less able to truly service customers; and I could go on and on but won't.

I was a knowledgeable and sophisticated guy who got a postgraduate doctorate, had a profession, and traveled the world long before the internet existed. I knew how to do research in a library and didn't need Wikipedia.

I can't say the internet has made my life better.

I can say it has given me a somewhat viable alternative to television.

 

[Huggy Love]

Sounds like somebody trashed Nickelback on another forum and Les got so mad he just chucked an old TV out of his 2nd floor window......................watch out dude!!!, you coulda killed your neighbor's Chihuahua.

Besides, everybody knows the internet is for porn.
Guy's like us that go to the web for guitar geekiness (or in my case fishing tides & currents) are just a byproduct of the worlds obsession with their genitalia.

 

[toothace]

I totally get your point Les...I think it's the lack of accountability. Anyone can be anonymous and say whatever they want on the internet. Used to be if you wanted to trash talk someone you had to do it in person, or at least be around other people to spew your vitriol. Now anyone with a signal can post whatever their minds dream up and not have to ever face up to anyone.