How in the world did Americans ever get anything done before the internet was around? Being only 21 years old, I tend to forget that the internet hasn't been around since the beginning of time. We got the internet at my house in sixth grade, and I was one of the last kids on the block to get it. That was 1998. Before that, I would go to my friend's house and we'd peruse video game message boards for exactly 30 minutes, because America Online charged for service by the hour. In the past 11 years, I've come to be so used to having the internet get things done for me that the time before internet seems like the stone age.
I can name dozens of things that can be done using the internet that would have been a major pain without the help of a world wide web. I can book a hotel room for a vacation. Without the internet, how would I know who to call? I supposed I'd have to call a travel agent and get the number from him for a nominal fee, which is simply absurd to think about. If I don't understand Jean-Jacques Rousseau (which I don't) I can read a summary of what he wrote without having to go to the store and look for one of those silly Cliff's Notes books. I can look at movie listings without having to listen to a ten minute long spiel of the movies, only to miss the one I wanted to hear. Remember that? People actually had to call an automated number to hear what movies were playing that day. This was even considered a convenience, as before that people had to drive through the movie theater to see when their flick played.
Paying 30 bucks a month for internet service is a cost I don't even consider each month. The money saved in actual costs and convenience is absolutely staggering when one considers all the services people do for themselves using the internet. So how much would internet costs have to shoot up for me to cancel service? Tons. Think triple digits. I'd pay more for the internet then I'd pay for ESPN.
Without the internet, I'd spend more time studying, preparing for various life tasks, and less time sitting in a comfy chair, relaxing in front of a screen. Thanks Al Gore. Without the internet, I'd be lost.
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