Could you go one month without Internet access?

[Carson Dyle]

I'm considering it. I waste far too much time in front of a computer, and I just want to see what would happen if didn't feel so tied to it. Or see if I even _can_ do it now.

Thinking about it, late 1996 was the last time in my life that I didn't spend hours every day on the 'net. There have only been very brief periods - probably no more than two or three days - in that stretch where I didn't actually get online or check email. I also don't have a smartphone and don't really do text messaging, nor do I have TV service. So I'd be pretty well cut off.

Missing email would be difficult. I could even miss something important in that time period .. a notification from a utility or bank, perhaps. All of my monthly bills are paid through auto-payments set up online.

No Craigslist. I've been looking for a new road bike and hoping to find a good deal on a used one. It's a good time of year to do so.

No BitTorrent. I'd have to do with the movies and TV shows I already have. TV shows in season would be suspended until a later date. No streaming of football games, so I'd have to go to a sports bar, or do without. Christ, I might even get out of the house on Sunday and buy a newspaper. I couldn't even check division standings or check player stats.

No online purchasing. Amazon Prime. No endless online research of every little purchase, from motherboards to light bulbs to humidifiers to toothbrushes. Hmm.... that may be a good thing.

So I was thinking of suspending my Comcast service for the month of November. I have 9 days to decide whether or not I can go cold turkey.

 

[Ns1]

lolno.

 

[lxskllr]

I could, but wouldn't want to. The computer and internet are the center of my inside entertainment. It would give me the chance to read all the books I've collected that are sitting unread on a shelf or hd. I suppose that would be good, but I'd need more incentive than that to give up the internet.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Would not want to, but I'd probably be way more productive if I did. I'd just have to download as many resources as possible to my network so if I need to google something I'd have some resources to go with. Like coding stuff and what not.

 

[Carson Dyle]

No Google. What happens when I wake up at 3AM in a cold sweat, wondering why the original Darrin on Bewitched was replaced?

http://www.neatorama.com/2013/11/13/Why-Were-There-Two-Darrins-on-Bewitched/

Yeah, I'd miss it. And yeah, I suspect I'd be much more productive. Books? Yes, I have more than a few of those lying around unread. Magazines? Maybe I'd read some actual magazines made of paper.

I want to do it, but I don't want to do it. Like exercising or visiting your great aunt in a nursing home.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

I couldn't do it. I'm on a pc at work about 90% of the time. About 70% of that time is doing research on material we have stored online, so I mix up my surfing and research.

 

[Ruptga]

I could but I wouldn't. Aside from the entertainment, google and wikipedia are too useful to give up without good reason. The only reason I could think of that would give me cause to willingly have no internet would be camping someplace without electricity. I've been on a several-week backpacking trip before, and almost every campsite I've been to hasn't had electricity.

PLUS, if I had no internet how would I get my news? Radio or TV? Fuck that right to hell. And most people that think they need to shut down the internet really just need more self-control or self-motivation. It doesn't make you do anything, it just gives you options.

 

[master_shake_]

ummmmm no not even a day i bet...

 

[jagec]

 

[Carson Dyle]

Believe it or not, you guys are talking me into it.

Christ, we're pathetic.

 

[gorcorps]

Absolutely not

I go stir-crazy on days I have nothing to do as it is, and that's WITH constant contact with the outside world. If I was alone with my thoughts I'd probably end up clinically depressed.

 

[MongGrel]

sure, but I'd prefer not to.



I'd be going through withdrawal pains a few days before starting to read like a maniac again.

 

[dn7309]

I did that Air Force BMT, I survived

 

[lxskllr]

Believe it or not, you guys are talking me into it.

Christ, we're pathetic.

You ever have the internet out, but forget and sit down in front of the computer, excited to get online, only to be greeted by the blinking light of despair? Imagine that every day for 30 days. Don't do it man :^D

 

[Carson Dyle]

You ever have the internet out, but forget and sit down in front of the computer, excited to get online, only to be greeted by the blinking light of despair? Imagine that every day for 30 days. Don't do it man :^D

Come to think of it, yes. My Comcast service for almost 15 has been stellar, but I have had an occasional outage. Immediately, my mind says "What can I do until it comes back?". I do some laundry, read a book, sweep out the garage, bake some bread, go for a walk down to the river.

Yeah, 30 days of that would be very, very good for me.

 

[shortylickens]

Yes.


I have plenty of magazines.

 

[alkemyst]

OP, please do it.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Your mother must have been a saint to have lived so long with such an embarrassment for a son. God rest her soul.

 

[alkemyst]

Nice personal attack on my mother that died. Good luck with that.

 

[Naer]

Silly rabbit. Withdrawal from technogy is for kids

 

[bbhaag]

Last year over Christmas the crap known as Frontier Communications disconnected our internet for about 3 weeks. We lasted about a week and a half before I went to Walmart and bought a Virgin Mobile 3g device.
So to answer your question. No.

 

[Ruptga]

Nice personal attack on my mother that died. Good luck with that.

You came in here just to tell him to fuck off, and you think the mods will side with you just because he poked back? Glass houses, broseph.

 

[rh71]

Umm work requires it (work from home full time). Once upon a time they even paid for it until they said "by now all of you should have it for yourself anyway".

Other than that all my entertainment is through either torrents or paid streaming services. Have FIOS for tv but hardly ever watch things real time. Too many interruptions with commercials and of course there's the time commitment thing.

 

[brianmanahan]

i highly doubt it

 

[mnewsham]

I could do it, I mainly sit around reading shit on the internet, I have a large collection of books in the house (upwards of 2,500 books), i'd just read a bunch of books and jerk off. I would PREFER to have internet of course, but I don't think i'd have a real problem going without for awhile.