I grew up with libraries and loved going there and pouring through books and discovering new ideas as a kid. I would carefully search for the book I was looking for, bring it to a quiet spot, and read comfortably, knowing I wouldn't be bothered. When libraries started putting in computers with internet access I was excited.
I soon learned that the world was much bigger than I imagined, that other people actually shared my interests, no matter how bizarre, and that I could always find an answer to the questions that wouldn't let me sleep at night. On the other hand, I learned that the people I despised and avoided in my everyday life were present in abundance on the web, they were given a megaphone, and the information is rife with bias, poor research, and outright lies.
I didn't have home internet access until college. Since then, the internet has been a part of my everyday life but over the years I have grown to hate it and long for those quiet moments in the library. With that, I give you my list of ten things I hate about the internet.
#10 - Top ten lists.
Can everything be boiled down to a list of ten things? Apparently the answer is yes and people will click them and read them about anything. They don't require a long attention span and constantly remind the reader they are only a few paragraphs away from being done and getting on with their day. You should only read these lists if you are sitting on the toilet in desperate need of some momentary relief.
#9 - Shitty blogs.
Everyone has a blog these days and everyone is a writer. Unfortunately, in order to maintain readers you have to constantly update a blog and you don't have to be a good writer. There is no filter or an editor saying, "maybe you should spend more time researching and writing this" or "I'm not sure that being snarky and finding creative ways to say, that sucks, is a good substitute for actual writing." Even worse are the comment sections of blogs and other sites. Everyone should do the following before making a comment. Ask yourself if that comment adds anything to the conversation or is even relevant to the topic. If the answer is no, put down the keyboard.
#8 - Image macros.
If you don't know what this is, it's a picture of an animal or person with a short phrase on it that spreads like an STD. There's a reason these are so popular, image macros are bite sized, easy to digest, and don't require much thought. The first time you see one it may be mildly amusing but after awhile your eyes just start to glaze over from the repetition.
#7 - Privacy.
There is none. Everyone just spills out intimate details of their personal life with no regard for who is reading it. Companies collect that personal information and sell it to the highest bidder and use it to advertise their products. We all become enraged at revelations of the government snooping into our lives and then continue supplying that information willingly.
#6 - Politics.
Everyone wants you to know their personal opinion and think if people just listened they could change the world with their revolutionary ideas. Problem is, they fail to present any new ideas and keep spouting out their mouths without any indication they are informed on the issue or have even taken a moment to consider another's point of view.
#5 - Trolling.
This activity is increasingly popular and constantly used as an excuse to engage in behavior that would be reprehensible in any other context. People who were once despised are now lauded as being edgy and creative. I've got news, this has been going on since the birth of the internet. I hated it then and I hate it now. Don't confuse satire and parody with trolling. Trolls are just assholes, they aren't artists trying to make a point or provoke thought.
#4 - News media.
News is nothing more than sensationalized titles, conveniently omitted or cherry picked facts, and blatant lies. There is no integrity or courageous investigative journalism to be found. Corporate sponsors and advertisers insure that any meaningful conversation or critical thinking is squashed before it can develop. You can't blame people for being misinformed or just throwing their hands up because they can't rely on anything. The institution that is supposed to be a watchdog for government corruption and corporate malfeasance is complicit in that same activity.
#3 - Deceptive websites.
Many sites are intentionally difficult to navigate and try to side track you from your intended goal. Whether it's through intrusive links to other content or disguising ads themselves as content, information that should be easily and quickly obtainable becomes a chore, requiring the creation of an account or signing up for spam emails to get what you need. Some of these sites can even damage your computer by tricking you into downloading software you never wanted and never asked for.
#2 - Artists don't get paid for their work.
Whether it's an image, an article, a song, a video, or a program. Everything is freely shared with no recognition of the artist or their investment of time in creating it. The cat is out of the bag on this one and it's just something we have to live with. Digital reproduction is so good that a copy is as good as the original. There's no going back. Artists must resort to begging for money to make a living.
#1 - The internet is a colossal waste of time.
I'm guilty of this as much as anyone. I start reading something that leads to one thing, that leads to another until the thing I really wanted to get done or research is completely forgotten about. I spend more time reading about the things I want to do than actually doing them. I hate the internet.
