I remember the first time I browsed the internet. It was in my parents’ house, we had just bought our first computer with additional modem. That must have been at least fifteen years ago. The modem squealed and it was so slow it was almost unusable. I don’t think anyone of us could imagine the impact the internet would have on our lives today.
I also remember a hot day in the end of the summer in Madrid 2001 and reading about a terrorist attack that would forever change the world. That feeling of unreality is something I will never forget.
And I remember all those emails from friends and family which has helped me so much when I have been abroad. Regardless of my state of mind, may it be joy or sorrow those emails helped me through times and have brought me closer to a lot of people. And that’s not even close to the whole story. I wonder if I will ever forget all those nights playing poker and chatting with other players having nothing to think about except for the next hand being dealt and which Bruce Springsteen record I would listen next.
As you can see social media has been a big part of my life – and probably in every young Swede’s. But if someone asked if I could live without it, what would I answer? Here’s the funny thing. Although I am online probably more than six hour a day on average I would answer “Yes, of course I could manage without”. And I think that a lot of people would say the same thing. Are we all fraud? Do we underestimate the impact of social media in our lives? Yes I think to some extent we do. Even though certainly most of our fellow humans have sufficed without it, we in the Western world have grown accustomed to it, specially the little things. I can’t even remember the last time I handed in my bets in a store. To me that is as far away as Elvis and M.A.S.H.. I find it even more difficult the last time I bought a trip or checked a timetable in hard copy. So, the answer to the question above is that I would probably manage without the internet, but it would be a more boring life, where things would take longer time then I am used to now. In short I would get a whole lot more frustrated (taking under consideration that I can get very irritated on my browser, which means a lot…).
By: Johan Östberg
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nice essay, however, sometimes I was wondering what the exact definition of social media is! Are emailing and betting some kind of social media? but it is a good topic to discuss about.
Another thing is about how people take it for granted. In my point of view, nowadays the impact if social media is so obvious and I think that people know its impact and for me I would say " I can NOT manage without it"
You make me miss my modem especially the noise sound of my old 56k modem. At that time, it's kind of geek gear. And if you tell your friend you surf on the internet, you must be considered that you could manage lots of high tech stuff. But now, it becomes so important in our life. While I don't quite agree about the argue in the end, whether internet makes people live in a better life, for me it's a question.I sometime prefer go back to old time, without social media tech, it might be 'real' world.
I also don't quite clear about whether email is kind of social media technology.
Pretty essay.
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