The Internet Has Turned People Into Ash-holes.

(No that's not a typo, that's me getting my point across without actually cursing. Even though in real life I would probably say worse...)

I used to love the internets. The webs. But like most relationships, eventually the veil is lifted and you see the other being for what they really are. Only instead of being a pimply mouth breather with a B.O. problem, you realize you're in love with a vile insult slewing machine of HATE.

Don't get me wrong. I still love the webs. (Which is saying something, because I dumped the pimply mouth breather with the quickness.) I'm just not IN love with them anymore. Let me explain why. Perhaps in a way where I can share pros and cons.

Pros vs Cons

You can instantly pay bills online! No more having to buy stamps! Woo-hoo! But then someone might steal your credit card information and run up a bill buying buckets of shelf stable food. (This hasn't actually happened to me, but it could. And shelf stable food is the only thing I'd find somewhat acceptable...you can't blame someone for wanting to be prepped now can you?)

You can SHOP online! Not only can you shop for just about anything from the comfort of your own couch, but you can do so dressed however you want! In society, shopping without any pants on may be frowned upon. But NOT when you're shopping online from home! ^_^ But the downside is that not only do you again run the risk of stolen moneys, often times you have to pay to have it shipped, you can't try things on, and you really don't know the quality of what you're getting until it arrives. It's like playing shopper roulette.

PINTEREST!  You can pin any amazing thing you find be it a recipe, a DIY project you'd like to try, outfit ideas, craft tutorials, design inspiration, beautiful art, funny pictures, etc. all in one easy to find and navigate place, and you get to browse what other people find awesome so that you can add to your own awesome finds. I mean, having a giant bulletin board where you can actually pin things is undesirable. For starters, that's a lot of pictures to print, it would have to be a giant board, not to mention that push pins would eventually begin to blister your tender little finger pads. But when you use the lovely website Pinterest you then run the risk of copyright infringement, accidentally clicking on something innocent and then finding your eyes being raped with horrific images, plus, you begin to lose hours of your time falling into a dark abyss if repinning. That's time of your life that you will never get back. There's not really enough delicious dinners and super cute wreaths to make up for that.

Then of course we bring you social networking. Facebook, Twitter, and all the other tons and tons of sites that bring the world together as a community. You see, that's awesome and all in so many ways. I get to interact with family that live hours away. They're able to keep up with what goes on in our little neck of the woods unlike ever before! But the thing is, while it's really cool, and can be super beneficial that we've been able to create a little digital unity, the thing is, is that it's not a nice community.

And that? Well to me that is one of the biggest failures of the webs. What should be webs of
(nice and useful) information, (beneficial and helpful) technology, and (clean and friendly) communication for good, has become very, very bad. And that's OUR failure. As people, as humans, we've totally failed at being decent anymore.

I honest to blog think, that if we step out from behind our computers, laptops, cell phones, tablets, and whatever electronic device we're hiding behind, and interacted with each other the way we did, even just 10 years ago, we would see a difference in the world. What someone may type out on a web page, or send out in a text is most likely very different from what they would be willing to stand up and say were they standing in front of the person they're hateful spews are directed at. I have seen people ripped to shreds by things people have commented on the internets. And while I say that figuratively, I am sure that's exactly what their heart is left feeling like. And I honestly, don't believe for one second, that the people who said some of the most hateful things would be able to look someone in the eyes, humanize them, and then rip then down.

Technology takes humanity and shields it from our eyes. We see people as less human and then we ourselves begin acting less and less human. And when I say human, I'm speaking of the compassion that we were created with, one of the few things that sets us apart from animals.

I hate that part of all things technology.

How do we fix this? I fully believe that it's growing to be irreparable. The only thing that would begin to repair it would be the fall of the webs and technology as we know it. Can you imagine it? A life where we have to spend money just to send in a bill? A life where we can't send our loved ones eleventy-million pictures of our kids enjoying their first ice cream cone? A life where I'm limited to only shopping my local stores? NO PINTEREST?! THE HORROR!!! {I say that in jest, but in all reality it would suck very much. At first.}

I can't help but kind of wish we could go back though. And actually have to CALL someone and hear their voice, even if it's just to tell them one little thing that may be so easily sent in a text! But is the convenience of it all really worth all we're losing?

I'm not so sure anymore.

Am I going to turn off my internet? Do away with my iPhone? Ban Facebook and blogging for all time?????

No.

That won't change anything. So I will continue to (mostly) enjoy the conveniences of our modern world while it's still here. And hope, really hope, that one day, it won't be here anymore.