Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by odshoifsdhfs 1581 days ago
I grew up before internet, but was an early adopter. I don't have a bad relationship with my phone/devices, but I am interested, when you say 'without internet', what do you mean?

For example: WhatsApp, Messenger, iMessage, Netflix, a lot of cable services (I just changed providers, their tv service now runs over wifi to the router with no option for a physical cable to connect to your tv) that now run on the 'internet'. You mean if you are not working, you don't interact with any of these services?
2 comments
drewzero1 1581 days ago
I think it might be worth making a distinction here between the Internet as a venue for communication and information, and the internet as a connection method. I wouldn't consider text messengers or cable services that connect over the internet as part of the Internet, any more than I would consider a VoIP landline to be part of the Internet.

I gave up my smartphone for several years. When I rejoined the smartphone world last spring it was weird to me how so many apps expected a constant connection, since I had grown accustomed to only having internet access at home and (sometimes) at work. My feature phone had a browser in the old-school mobile sense (Opera mini over 2G) but unless I really needed an answer to some question right away I would wait until I got home.

The main thing I noticed was that if there was something I wanted to learn more about, or look up an answer to, I need to remember it until computer time--and write it down if it's important. Usually it's not that important, and I ended up becoming more okay with not binging information immediately every time I had a craving for it.

link
cindarin 1581 days ago
I don't mean that at all. That's the point. I happen to not use any of those services you listed, but I do use discord to communicate with friends, and I enjoy listening to podcasts/audiobooks for entertainment. It's more common than not that I am listening to a podcast or audiobook when I take my dog on long walks in the evening, but I just don't see that as a sign of an unhealthy addiction.
link