Life Without Internet

When a teenage boy goes to pick up a young lady for the first date, he is no longer expected to come in and meet the parents. Instead, a simple “I’m here” text is sent, and the girl simply says goodbye to her family and leaves. Friendship is no longer being there for a friend when they need a shoulder to cry on, but is instead simply liking all their photos on Instagram, or favoriting all of their tweets. True happiness is no longer found in family and the things money can’t buy, but is instead found by purchasing the latest Kylie Lip Kit from kyliecosmetics.com, or buying the latest Louis Vuitton or Birkin bag. The internet has made life considerably easier, but what if we lived in a world without it?

            If the internet did not exist, the nature of the idea of love in our culture would be radically different. Instead of the idea that falling in love should provide immediate gratification and be based on superficial qualities (mindsets brought on by the pornography industry and apps like Tinder), our society would be forced to start looking at people for who they are on the inside. Instead of swiping left (not interested) or right (interested) based solely on a photo of someone, we would look a little more deeply at the people around us. The quiet girl from work or the boisterous guy from class and their lives would become a little more interesting. With nothing to distract from getting to know those around us, we would truly get to know each other.

            The nature of friendship is another aspect of life that would be drastically different without internet. More and more of today’s youth is becoming dependent on cell phones to communicate with the outside world. Without the internet or the iPhone 7, teenagers might have a conversation over coffee, or enjoy time spent together in the great outdoors. Their idea of fun would not be staring at a device for an hour, but going on a walk, exploring a nearby river, or spending the day on a scenic hiking trail. A friend’s devotion would not be revealed by who wished them a happy birthday via Twitter, but who brought them a card and shared a moment with them.

             In a world without internet, the emphasis on material things would be significantly less of a problem. Prominent social media icons like the Kardashians or Jenners take the focus off of life’s more important aspects. In a world without the pressure from media to have the best clothes or most expensive possessions, our society would be free to focus on family, charity, friendship, and true love.

             If the internet did not exist, the effects would be largely positive. Although some things would be slightly more difficult (no online textbooks, Facebook to keep up with old friends, or Amazon to have items shipped to your house at the click of a button), we would be forced to communicate in a genuine way. Our world would be filled with more sympathetic and thoughtful people, a generally more active generation of youth, and a society more focused on things of fundamental importance.