7 ways the Web changed our lives.
Can you imagine your life without the Internet? For most of us, the answer is a definite NO.
Pre-internet – we had tape recorders, encyclopedias, Encarta ’95, and everyone sent letters or faxes. We had to leave the house to be social, trolls had a very different meaning, and there was certainly no, likes, Selfies or hashtags!
Nowadays, every action of our daily life now involves the web in one way or another. Here are seven ways the Internet changed us.
We do many things at once.
Thanks to smartphones, Netflix and the ability to have multiple tabs open at once on our screens – the InternetInternet has made multitasking more accessible and at the same time more damaging to our productivity. How many times are you watching tv and scrolling on your phone?
Neurologists have found Internet-enabled multitasking often makes us less productive. ‘The result is that the internet encourages the return of our natural, “bottom-up” style of attentional control. There’s always something new happening, somewhere else to shift your focus. And, just as with the cab drivers, your brain has to give something up.’ (1)
We don’t have downtime anymore.
The Internet has followed us everywhere. We now use our phones when travelling on public transport, listen to Spotify in the shower, work out, follow video tutorials on our iPad while cooking, and even when going to sleep, many of us are using mindfulness apps to help. We no longer see the value in sitting in our thoughts.
We’re all doctors.
With so much information accessible at our fingertips – most of us find ourselves searching for answers online when we need them, especially regarding our health and wellbeing. According to recent studies – 72 per cent of Internet users go online for health diagnosis and treatment information.
How we listen to music changed forever.
Enter Napster, Spotify, Pandora, Youtube and more. We no longer head to our favourite music store to buy the latest album release. We simply press a few buttons, and the latest releases play immediately.
The online shopping movement.
Making a purchase has never been easier. You can easily hop from one platform or online store to another to compare prices, make in-app purchases without leaving your home, and enjoy the comfort of easy home delivery.
We consume TV & movies whenever however we want.
Gone are the days of VCRs, waiting for your favourite show to begin at a set time or having to wait a week for new episodes. Thanks to platforms like Netflix, Youtube and our devices – we can watch what we want, when we want, how we want.
Marketing has changed Business forever.
The Internet has completely changed the business landscape by introducing websites, e-commerce, online advertising, social media, podcasts, and email marketing. Anyone can now set up a website, run ads on social media, create a podcast and sell online- all of which has given businesses an easy and proactive way to reach target audiences and explain how their products and services can solve problems.
