Do you consider the Internet a necessity?

[drcmk]

We r a spoiled group of whining babies. As for me the internet is NOT a necessity. TYVM.

You are welcome to your opinion and no one here will force you to pay for the Internet.

But maybe the spoiled whining babies are the ones that are complaining because the world had changed since they went to school, went to college, raised their children, etc.

Time marches on . . . best to adapt, I say.

 

[honeydiane1953]

You are welcome to your opinion and no one here will force you to pay for the Internet.

But maybe the spoiled whining babies are the ones that are complaining because the world had changed since they went to school, went to college, raised their children, etc.

Time marches on . . . best to adapt, I say.

LOL when a disser ask a ? then argues with opinions other than his/hers cracks me up. What's the point since u already have your answer? hmm maybe to get some dialogue going?

 

[neatokimmo]

My cable modem service is $20 a month. It is the speed needed to connect to work 3 days a week and to run the wii for tv (which is way slower than they lead you to believe in the ads). I would spend $12 per week to drive to work those 3 days so my internet connection saves me money.

If I lost my job I'd sell blood before I disconnect it. I'd get rid of my cell phone and do the free internet phone thing first. I'd plant a garden to cut the grocery bill. I'd rent out my basement. Lots of stuff I'd be willing do before I cut that $20 bill.

We don't do cable, we don't do a landline. We don't do a paper. So it is my source of information.

 

[GinnyEmma]

Sorry-this just cracked me up


Iis a necessity in many home for work related business-DH works from home via computer

Lol, there are lots of of misspeaks here. Or is that a dis speak?

 

[luvthemouse71]

Now the snow walking to school story sounds like my grand parents story. I do suppose I am older than you. The OP ask a ? and gave my opinion. The internet is not a necessity.

1) The Internet is a necessity for some- not everyone has the same needs.
2) lighten up, it was a joke.
3) I was also going to ask if your first car was a horse drawn buggy, but maybe that would be going too far?

 

[WheelCEO]

I make my money online.. so its a must

 

[gk90]

DH and I are both required to do a number of tasks for work online, and the kids both are required to do some school assignments online. To say nothing of banking, shopping etc.

So I'd say it's a necessity for us. Again, a generational thing--15+ years ago I would have called it a luxury but in the past few years it's become a necessity.

And I'm surprised that nobody here on the thread has mentioned internet addiction yet? Unless I missed it?We even have a smilie that looks a lot like it

I would have to say that we don't just look at it as a necessity in our house, we're all mildly addicted as well, as I'm sure is true for a number of DISers--isn't our internet addiction part of the reason that some of us are posting here?

 

[kamik86]

Internet would be the last thing to go for me. It is needed for my online grad school. It is my entertainment (gave up cable a long time ago, watch everything online now). I use it for work sometimes so that I don't have to drive the 30+ min. to the office.

However since I'm not actually paying for my internet this isn't an issue. (The company for some reason can get working internet and phone to my landlord that lives below me but over a year ago mine stopped working and they can't fix it. So my landlord and my husband made a deal that he will help them with computer issues and network issues so that they could have wireless internet (they couldn't keep theirs working most of the time) and we can use theirs too.) If my company can provide working service to my apartment I will gladly start paying for it again.

Note I live in the middle of no where so there really is only one company to get internet from.

 

[MrsPete]

The internet is very, very useful to me. I use it for banking, purchasing things for a better price than I can find locally, and communication. Truthfully, everything we do via internet we COULD do in another way -- though it would be more time-consuming, and in some cases more expensive.

I also use it for work-related needs; however, the truth is that while internet is mandatory for my job . . . internet in my HOME is not mandatory for my job. I do have a computer an internet at school, and I could do everything I NEED to do there -- though, again, that wouldn't always be convenient.

My children do use the internet for school work; however, I could bring them to my work after hours or I could bring them to the library. Or they could stay after school to use internet in their school library. Again, convenience.

So, is it a need? Not in the sense that I'd literally die if I didn't have it -- but giving it up would complicate my life. Would complicate my life unnecessarily.

If I were in a serious financial crunch, I'd give up a whole lot of other things before I'd give up internet. First, because giving it up would cut me off from some bargains, and that'd be foolish if I were trying to save money. Second, because it would only save $20 or so a month -- and I could save much more in other ways.

 

[JennyKS]

I do not have interent at home. Have not had it for 3 years. I am in my lower half of my 30's. No it is not a necessity for me. I do not need it for income. I have access at work. I also have access on my phone if necessary.

Oh and maybe I should add it would be a whole lot more for me then just 20 bucks a month. I don't have cable, I now have satellite. And in the little town that I live in, you can't get internet thru that. Cable is stupid expensive so I won't go back to that just to get internet. I also do not have a landline that I could get thru that and I refuse to get a landline again just to have internet. Either of those options would add another 65 to 75 bucks a month and I refuse to pay that to surf online which I could only do at night, and I would much rather spend that time doing something with my child.

 

[GinnyEmma]

Lol, because your child never sleeps or because people who use the Internet are ignoring their children.

The Internet is necessary for some not for others. No biggie. More and more jobs and education responsibilities are dependent. To say we got by beforehand is silly. The world changes. I went from a manual typewriter to electric to the computer. Each more efficient than the last.

 

[JennyKS]

Lol, because your child never sleeps or because people who use the Internet are ignoring their children.

Because I work 60+ hours a week so I would feel guilty. And I'm lazy and when she goes to sleep so do I, but feel free to take my comment how ever you would like.

 

[Maddle]

Last summer I spent a lot of time at my mother's home. She had no internet. My sister and I tried so hard to convince her that WE needed it. Finally I told her, "No internet in 2010 is like no telephone in 1970." She thought that was hilarious, and then she broke down and let me hook it up.

Yes things change. Mom could not have gotten along easily without a phone in 1970 anymore that most of us could get along without internet today. Sure people could get notified by the television of storms and problems, and before that it was radio. Yes, I got a college education too without internet, but my sons had a different education experience WITH internet.

I don't think anyone is a whining baby. Almost everyone who said it was a necessity listed what they would give up to keep it - I said I would give up my car, one PP said she would get a job at Walmart, and one PP said she would sell her blood! (Okay, even I find that extreme.) No one is whining that it should be delivered to them on a silver plate. Obviously they do NOT take it for granted, because it is more important to them than the things they listed as expendable.

 

[bumbershoot]

Of course, that would mean spending a lot of time in Starbucks, McDonalds or some other place that offers free WiFi.

And since you have to buy things regularly in order to stay connected, that's going to get expensive. DH is a product tester for something that can get online, and when he checks out a McDs his connection times out 10-15 minutes, and requires another code which requires another drink. S'bux isn't that drastic but he does continued to buy things, slowly, while he's doing his work there. So it would add up!

I've threatened a couple of times to cut it because DH was spending a ton of time researching mysterious diseases he thought he had. If I didn't need it for work, I probably would toss the computer and internet all together.

If it weren't webmed etc, it would be huge expensive textbooks... People have been doing that sort of thing since forever.

And sometimes it's most helpful! Someone posting a picture of their child online, and having an eye doctor reply telling them that the reflection in one eye is abnormal and having it truly be abnormal...someone posting on FB about a kid's rash and someone saying it sounded like more than a rash, etc etc etc. Someone recently posting about "malignant hyperthermia", which is rare but horrible! Those sorts of things can help...

And I'm surprised that nobody here on the thread has mentioned internet addiction yet? Unless I missed it?We even have a smilie that looks a lot like it

I would have to say that we don't just look at it as a necessity in our house, we're all mildly addicted as well, as I'm sure is true for a number of DISers--isn't our internet addiction part of the reason that some of us are posting here?

That dude always looked like someone either working, or a pacific timezone person waking up to do their WDW ADRs online.

I'm addicted to getting and receiving info from other people...not the internet itself.

Oh and maybe I should add it would be a whole lot more for me then just 20 bucks a month. I don't have cable, I now have satellite. And in the little town that I live in, you can't get internet thru that. Cable is stupid expensive so I won't go back to that just to get internet. I also do not have a landline that I could get thru that and I refuse to get a landline again just to have internet. Either of those options would add another 65 to 75 bucks a month and I refuse to pay that to surf online which I could only do at night, and I would much rather spend that time doing something with my child.

Seriously good reasons to not have home connection! I'm sure if it suddenly appeared you might stay up a little later, might find something to do...but what a pain and expense it is in the real world to make it happen for you! Makes sense that you haven't done it.






I graduated college in '91, the dorm I lived in my senior year had JUST put in a computer room across from the study room. I'd had ONE friend with a PC when we matriculated in '87. Of course she was not online...it was a glorified typewriter. During grad school the most I had was an electric typewriter with memory. I was done with that school in late '95. I had my own practice and still did not NEED a computer.

I wouldn't dream of doing those things NOW without a computer and internet! Sure I'd go insane with the noise of people taking notes on their laptops in class, but I'd have to do it to (well, maybe not actually, I generally have to write things out on paper a few times to really learn them).

If the world continues on in the same way it is continuing, and I"m not living in a jungle without needs to contact anyone else ever again, the internet, whether at home or work, is needed IMO.

 

[bjscheel]

I would not cut out internet to save money because I can make enough on eBay each month to make up the cost. We would be worse off getting rid of it due to losing eBay income.

 

[eliza61]

If you had to cut the budget-would it be the last thing to go?

We have to be connected-that is how DH communicates, and works for his company.
But also use for banking, booking airline, vacations research, trips etc
I can not imagine not having it.


After I texted SIL to check out her Daughter-in -law's video on Facebook of her grandson -My SIL-mid 50's= texted me that she didnt have internet-couldnt afford it. I was floored that her finances were that tight.

No, necessities are the things that you need to stay alive.

Booking airlines means you have enough money to afford a ticket.

Food=necessity
water=necessity
healthcare=necessity
clothing=necessity.

My basic question is "would your life be seriously harmed if you had to get rid of the item". Your life would be inconvenienced, nothing more.

 

[princessmom29]

If DH and I want to keep our jobs, then yes it is a necessity. We MUST be able to access it from home for work, and they don't provide access.

 

[eliza61]

Last summer I spent a lot of time at my mother's home. She had no internet. My sister and I tried so hard to convince her that WE needed it. Finally I told her, "No internet in 2010 is like no telephone in 1970." She thought that was hilarious, and then she broke down and let me hook it up.

Yes things change. Mom could not have gotten along easily without a phone in 1970 anymore that most of us could get along without internet today. Sure people could get notified by the television of storms and problems, and before that it was radio. Yes, I got a college education too without internet, but my sons had a different education experience WITH internet.

I don't think anyone is a whining baby. Almost everyone who said it was a necessity listed what they would give up to keep it - I said I would give up my car, one PP said she would get a job at Walmart, and one PP said she would sell her blood! (Okay, even I find that extreme.) No one is whining that it should be delivered to them on a silver plate. Obviously they do NOT take it for granted, because it is more important to them than the things they listed as expendable.

But the question was not what you would give up to have it. The question was is it necessary?

That's the root of the budget stalemate, every body thinks the things that are important to them "are necessities".

Would your sons die if they did not have the internet? Would their health be seriously impared if they could not hook up?

 

[Duckyiam71]

It is not a necessity in our house. BUT it is very hard to live without. We just recently moved to Germany. We did not have internet for 6 weeks and we did not have tv for 8 weeks. I missed both because it meant no contact with my family unless I paid very high phone bills from the hotel. I did find the libraries offer internet so it was nice to catch up every so often. I felt very out of the loop.

 

[Kate and Pete]

I'm a teacher, and ALL of my work is done online. My students pass in their papers online, I post syllabi online, etc. (The state of Maine provides a laptop for all students 6-12 while they're in school.)

That said, I STILL don't consider internet a necessity. Like others, I would cut EVERYTHING else I could first, but if I really had to, internet would go, too. There's always the library with free internet...