Before the Internet

Internet today is an essential tool for profit, work and recreational use. Internet is like an addiction for me, an indispensable tool for my profession and of course, my time-wasting activity generator. Before the Internet, life and overall experience is different, maybe the Internet sheltered as too much that we forget to deal with some stuff in life, maybe the internet in some way made us more lazy but in exchange it made life better and easier.

Then
Cut out photos from old books, magazines and newspaper.
Now
Google image search the goddamn image.

Then
When I am researching something I will go to a library to do some hands on real research with books.
Now
A quick research is one Google search away.

Then
Going or calling to the office to ask something, like booking flights.
Now
Just browse the company’s website for inquiry and book your flight by few clicks here and there.

Then
You have to wait patiently to have the package delivered, without knowing where the hell it is now.
Now
You can track it with the deliverer’s tracking Internet thing.

Then
Manually pay bills.
Now
Pay bills online.

Then
Landline phones, and humongous bills for overseas and long-distance calls
Now
Yahoo Messenger, Skype, and other similar messenger tools.

Then
Checking movie schedules by reading newspaper and calling the theatre hotline.
Now
Browse the schedule while enduring annoying flash animations.

Then
Watching  those videos on VHS or Beta, with your finger a few inches away from pushing the stop or eject button once someone enters the room
Now
Streaming those videos and the mastery of quick alt-F4 finger pushing to close the window once someone enters the room.

Then
Hanging and strolling around the mall
Now
Hanging and strolling around Facebook, Multiply, Friendster and WordPress

Then
Writing in a diary with a big lock around it
Now
Blogging everywhere, including outside of a coffee shop, sitting inside, typing with an expensive laptop, with one tab for Facebook opened, without ordering anything.

Like I said, Internet made us a little lazy since we are dependent with the benefits of doing everything online. Physical stuff is still better than online stuff, like its better to read a book, holding it with your hands than reading an E-Book in a screen. We should balance everything from the manual stuff and the internet surfing, at least move something with your body.