Has the internet been more of an innovation for good or bad and if you could “pull the plug” would you?

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 18:36:24 -0400

I love being able to look up history and other reading material anytime I want on anything I want. I hate the ease of which children and the easily manipulated can be taken advantage. My mother is able to see her great grandchildren from 12000 miles away! Child molesters can share can now networks much more easily. Many pros; many cons ... are we the better or worse off? I don't know.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2016 7:29 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 19:29:05 -0400

The internet is a tool. As a tool, it can be used for good or bad depending on the user. In eras past people could use technology and still remain part of their local community. I feel that in many ways this technological revolution pulls people into another universe, a "digiverse" if I might borrow the term from Kevin Flynn in the movie Tron. I wonder whether historians will judge the trade off of enhanced communication fairly in comparison to the more community oriented eras of the past.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jun 19 at 2016 8:05 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 20:05:15 -0400

All good. I've used it to build an audience telling stories. I've used it to connect to old friends long lost. Conduct business. Bank. Shop. Play. Be entertained. I grew up with a great library, the Enoch Pratt in Baltimore, and the Library of Congress, the Smithsonean, and the National Archives next door. Living in California I would be lost but for the Internet and it's connections to libraries around the world. Unplug it? Never...

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 19 at 2016 8:08 PM

PO1 John Miller — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 20:08:27 -0400

While this clip is from a comedy movie, it sums up how many people use the Internet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI7As3rOogo

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2/12) Movie CLIP - What the F*** is the Internet? (2001) HD

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back movie clips: http://j.mp/1J8vNEx BUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/tFqaOY Don't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6...

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2016 8:08 PM

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 20:08:49 -0400

I'm not exactly sure where I (or the world) would be if it wasn't for the web

Response by Maj Rob Drury made Jun 19 at 2016 8:10 PM

Maj Rob Drury — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 20:10:16 -0400

Well, my business is so dependent on the internet I couldn't function without it. Almost all of my new customer acquisition is through online sources. The bulk of my available inventory is through third-party suppliers and catalogued online. Social media is big part as well.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2016 8:15 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 20:15:38 -0400

Everything can be used for good or for bad. At my age I enjoy being able to answer my questions without a r=trip downtown to the library.

Response by SGT Benjamin Charleston made Jun 19 at 2016 8:24 PM

SGT Benjamin Charleston — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 20:24:33 -0400

No would not unplug.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2016 8:28 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 20:28:01 -0400

MSG Private RallyPoint Member Wherever I go, I see people staring at their phones endlessly. I still use the library, so I say to pull the plug.

Response by TSgt Alex Benningfield made Jun 19 at 2016 9:32 PM

TSgt Alex Benningfield — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 21:32:43 -0400

More good than bad. Of course, especially in chat rooms, the autonomy allows for individuals to say anything almost risk free. However the availability of information makes the necessity to learn and research questionable. I hear it slot "Google it" so it is both good and bad, I am curious if we as a society dropped it what would happen.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jun 19 at 2016 11:50 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 23:50:34 -0400

Great research tool; I can find more information more quickly than ever before. I also can maintain contact with friends and family more easily than before. The internet is a powerful but neutral tool that becomes what you want it to become, for good or for evil.

Response by Capt Michael Greene made Jun 20 at 2016 12:41 AM

Capt Michael Greene — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 00:41:47 -0400

Internet is great. Use blocking software for all the bad stuff. Years ago, when I found my little boy watching porn, I simply explained that it was fiction, and that, in real life, nice people were nice to each other. Never saw any evidence of porn after that. Now, he's in college and he's got a really good sense of morality and propriety.

Response by Capt Michael Greene made Jun 20 at 2016 12:52 AM

Capt Michael Greene — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 00:52:42 -0400

For years, I've "spoken" daily with veterans and civilians who NEEDED the Internet. Some vets are so disabled mentally they never leave the house except when the VA van takes them to an appointment. Also, thousands of people have ALS, which completely paralyzes the body and leaves them unable to get out of bed. They can't speak or write. Their only communication with the outside world is through an eye-tracking computer connected to the Internet. So yeah, I kinda think it's a good idea.

Response by SGT Tony Clifford made Jun 20 at 2016 1:09 AM

SGT Tony Clifford — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 01:09:39 -0400

I would have to say that while the Internet has been used for nefarious purposes, it isn't bad. It is a tool for mass communication, which can be used for both good and bad. The most important thing to remember is that the ability to communicate with people around the globe has made dialogues between people who would never otherwise have met possible. For this reason alone the good that it brings completely overshadows the bad.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 20 at 2016 8:20 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 08:20:45 -0400

As in most things, the Internet is representative of our Society. Never before has there been a tool to access the amount of information that people seek.

Some like to cook, camp, hunt, play games. Some like to connect with old friends or make new ones.

The Internet is the avenue to achieve all that and more.

The bad we see- is when the tool is used poorly, or more accurately, used by poor individuals.

It does represent some of Societies darkest interest. The pedophiles or the terrorists or criminals. That's unfortunate, but the good and bad were created in this tool, it's up to the people to use the tool wisely.

I will say it has moved our country to become a "highlight" nation. We want the top plays and the final score. We will develop opinions based upon that highlight and champion our thoughts to the world... despite never watching the game!

People want more info, more, more, more- but we aren't looking at any details behind that info. Especially news, politics, current events. There's a post or tweet or video, and it's repeated as truth. People don't want newspapers anymore, they just want all the lead sentences only and skip the actual articles.

But the Internet is giving the people what they want... It's unfortunate I often see what we want as the bad.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Jun 20 at 2016 9:45 AM

Cpl Justin Goolsby — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 09:45:52 -0400

I'm 50/50 but more leaning towards the negative side. Despite all that, I still would not pull the plug. You made a bunch of great points. Instant access to information is probably the greatest achievement to mankind. But we also live with generations that have never had to do their own research. We live with generations growing up not knowing how to think because they are constantly told what to think. We've got hate groups becoming legitimized because they can network and find like minds all over the world. In that same respect, we've got police (the good guys) vilified by the entire nation because of the 1 or 2 bad apples which we'd never hear about without all the instant access to information.

But despite it all, I still wouldn't pull the plug. For those of us who can actually think for themselves, it's a handy tool to research information. I live 800 miles away from my family, but every day I can share images and stories of my girls growing up with my Mom and Dad. The Internet has given me plenty of ideas of things I want to do or share with my girls.

Like a firearm or any other tool at our disposal, the internet could do a lot of good, or a lot of evil. It just depends on who is using it.

Response by SFC Joseph Weber made Jun 20 at 2016 1:26 PM

SFC Joseph Weber — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 13:26:58 -0400

Other than the Kindle the internet is the greatest invention of all time.

Response by SPC Darren Koele made Jun 20 at 2016 7:44 PM

SPC Darren Koele — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 19:44:56 -0400

I would have to say, based on the media alone, it's a good thing. It enables us to find sources and facts beyond whatever propaganda the news networks feed us. Another plus is that it has opened up the world of entrepreneurship. Many business are internet based. It allows people to say into touch much easier with family and friends without tying up a phone line, waiting for letters, etc. All kinds of specific information at your fingertips. Can't find the weekend flyer from your local gun shop? Just go online. Want to find out what kind of bird is on your feeder but don't have the Audubon's bird book? Google it. So much more useful and useless information. There are more pluses that can be added.
Negatives? People can't seem to talk to each other in a civil tone anymore. Hell, some people can't even talk to another face to face. While identity theft has been around prior to the internet, it has exploded since it's beginnings. Child predators, need I say more? Readily available porn...well, I guess depending on your perspective, this could be a good thing. Spousal cheating has become much easier since the advent of the internet. Again, this list could go on for sometime.
I would not pull the plug, I believe the positives outweigh the negatives and the best part is, I can turn it off and tune it out at my convenience. I can be a part of Facebook, RP, or any other site, or I can delete and leave, or play the middle ground and simply not logon for a period of my choosing.
I rate it 50/50 would not pull plug.