Hey Friends,

Could you live without the Internet?

If you are trying to access the Internet at home on 3rd November you might be in for a shock. Broadband services across a large (maybe all) sections of the United Kingdom are going to be switched off between 9-12pm for 'routine maintenance' It seems a strange time to be undertaking service upgrades when the results of the US elections will be starting to filter through, but it got me thinking: what would the world look like if we didn't have the Internet?

There is no doubt the Internet has greatly improved many areas of life. Here are few examples, and what they may look like without the Internet.

News:

WITH: Instant access to news 24/7 from the entire globe

WITHOUT: Slower delivery, less sources, more accurate reporting/less misinformation

Work:

WITH: Instant communication/availability, increased productivity, more competition/opportunities

WITHOUT: More locally focused, slower production, emphasis on quality rather than quantity

Social Life:

WITH: wider circle of online friends, increased interactions, instantly up to date, 24/7 connectivity

WITHOUT: smaller circle of friends, less but more personal interactions, present in the moment/less distracted, downtime/time to reflect

General Information:

WITH: Worldwide navigation, unlimited information, diverse, but unverified sources

WITHOUT: Less information, increased emphasis on finding information yourself, slower learning pace

It is clear the internet has done wonderful things for society, from connecting people across the globe to providing learning opportunities for everyone. However, life is about balance, and the key is to be selective in the tools you use. Tools should make your life easier, not make it easier for large conglomerates to use you.

So maybe the question should be: what would life look like with a little less Internet, and more analogue interactions?

I encourage you to put down your phone, go for a walk, and ponder his question.

Take care friends,

Chris

Things I've found interesting this week

\\ One Article: Japanese Nuclear agency turns off email for fear of cyber attack

\\ Two Article: More than a quarter of NSCS incidents were covid related

\\ Three Article: Check if your post-code will suffer the broadband outage

Favourite Quote

Do the things you own actually end up owning you - Tyler Durden

Or in the context of what we talk about here, do the digital services you use, end up using you ?

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