Tuesday 4 The Internet Age

From Annie our hostess: "Welcome weather weary friends to another episode of Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where we challenge you to answer 4 questions on different subjects each week.
Maybe we could talk about the internet this week?
It's all I could come up with as my mind is on hiatus right now."

I think we can all relate to the "mind is on hiatus right now" statement. My mind comes and goes at will. I sometimes wonder if it ever will come back to where it used to be! Probably not. Hard to teach an old mind new tricks, but at least we keep trying to stay in the game.  So here goes another Tuesday 4 post...read on...




1. When did the home internet age enter your life? How much impact has it had?

I am not certain when the "home internet age" entered our lives, but I do remember when we finally got a real computer and not just a word processor thingy that was basically a glorified typewriter.  My husband was working on his Doctorate at Seminary.  He had to write a doctoral dissertation...a book of at least 100 pages.  We did not have a computer. I had a typewriter with correction ribbon, but that's about worthless when you are typing a dissertation. We would type a whole chapter and submit it to his mentor professor for evaluation, and he would send it back with a few "suggestions" and "corrections" , which meant that not only did I have to type that page over, but every page after that because it would change the headings and line up of words and pages...and so basically for every word corrected or changed I would end up typing everything over again. There was no such thing as cut and paste.  Finally, once he completed his dissertation and received his degree we were able to purchase a computer. (This was in the late 1980's, so you can imagine how basic and rudimentary that computer was)  Once I found out how much simpler it was to type a document using a computer, I said I wished we could go back and do his dissertation all over again...NOT!  LOL. It sure would have made my life a lot simpler for sure!  

This was a very happy day...the day hubby received his Doctor of Ministry Degree, pre internet.  I'm not sure which one of us is happier...him or me...and oh! That 80's hairdo... So happy to have our sweet three sons there for the occasion as well...

Hubby's parents were very proud of their "boy"...   (sorry for the poor quality of photo...this is looking through a glass so there are reflections).  It was a happy day for everyone.

The internet didn't really have that much of an impact on us for several more years, and actually our sons pretty much got all the way through school without the internet as well.  We all had to learn how to study the old fashioned way...using a library and encyclopedias that were still in books.  Obviously, the internet has made research much easier for everyone, but I think it makes things too easy and we have gotten lazy in our study habits.

2. How powerful an influence is your phone? For instance, do you feel guilty not answering when you are busy? Do you text back immediately? Does the phone own you? Do you friends feel they should be able to monopolize your time by demanding to know where you were when you didn't answer? Is it intrusive or welcome?

I can remember when we only had a house phone and having an answering machine was a big deal. We would check our messages as soon as we walked in the door of the house to see if anyone important had called.  Now we can't walk out the door (or go to the bathroom hardly) without taking our phones with us.  I know I do feel strange if I forget my phone when I go to the store or anywhere.  However, when I am at church or in any kind of meeting, I mute the sound so I can't be disturbed. No, I don't feel guilty for not answering when I am busy. I still have a personal life and I don't want the phone or social media to control my whole life. I will respond to messages in a reasonable amount of time.  If anyone "demands" to know where I was, etc., they probably really aren't a good friend. Friends respect each other's privacy and time. Oh, and they also respect the time of day they are sending that text or message on Messenger (although I no longer have an audible notification for Messenger...I'd never get any sleep if I did).  I learned the hard way that responding to a message or text in the wee hours of the morning or night can be annoying for others as well...especially if they are in a different time zone than we are! Things to consider and be considerate of others.

3. What places do you frequent on the net and by phone or PC etc.? (pc.. personal computer , laptop, etc.)

Well, obviously I "frequent" blogger, either to write, or to read what others have written, and to comment or reply to comments.  I also frequent  my email, Facebook and Messenger, but only when I have time. I try to be disciplined about the amount of time I spend on social media. Family and home and in person activities have to come first.

I will say that I am thankful for the ability to look up directions/maps, etc., when traveling or looking for addresses to businesses, new doctors, restaurants, etc. That is a real plus and I do use that feature frequently.  I also do some online shopping, which is very convenient...but I still prefer to see things that I am buying in person. I hate to have to figure out how to return something that I ordered online. 

4. Wikipedia is editable and biased because anyone can edit the articles. Algorithms also determine what you can and cannot find on the internet. So, how much stock do you place in it's information?

I try to read several different resources when I am doing any kind of research because not everything you read on the internet is accurate, obviously.  I've learned the hard way about quoting something and thinking it to be true and then finding out later it was a scam or "fake news".  Therefore I tend to stay away from a lot of "news", "politics", etc. on the internet.  

My favorite Bible verse regarding what to read or watch on the internet or TV is Philippians 4:8  

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, 

whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, 

whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report,

 if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—

meditate on these things."

Thank you, Annie, for coming up with these 4 questions each week. You can go check out what others are writing or join in by clicking HERE.  I do appreciate the ability to communicate with each of you via the internet. I've enjoyed making so many wonderful friends here, people I would never have had the opportunity to meet otherwise.  So there are many pros and cons to using the internet. I prefer to major in the "pros" and not the "cons".  Have a wonderful day!