What would happen if the internet was "switched off" for a substantial amount of time?

[mysterionz]

i remember a scenario like this happened in a South Park episode called “over logging.” Stan’s dad went completely bonkers because he couldn’t do his “alone time” (if you know, you know ;D)

 

[Forest Cat]

i remember a scenario like this happened in a South Park episode called “over logging.” Stan’s dad went completely bonkers because he couldn’t do his “alone time” (if you know, you know ;D)

I haven't watched much South Park but I have actually seen that episode and it was crazy and hilarious.

 

[mysterionz]

I haven't watched much South Park but I have actually seen that episode and it was crazy and hilarious.

It seriously is. Randy needs to get his “obsessions” under control and find something else to replace them. I actually hedacannon he could be on the autism spectrum because he is rather absent-minded, oblivious, and gets too caught up in his hyperfixations to the point he neglects his own needs and his wife and kids.

 

[Gerontius]

I come from a time when the phones had rotary dialing and we had a party line.
Our party line was shared by four homes and each home had their own unique ringtone to tell them apart.
If you wanted to make call, often enough, you had to butt in on a conversation and ask them to free up the line
View attachment 103798
They usually came in this color or black or white and were not owned by the customer.
They were pretty much bullet proof.
The phone company could monitor the ringer load on the line to determine if you added another one without paying them.
Armed with that info, we had several phones with the ringers disconnected to beat them at their own game.

I worked with a guy years ago that was employed by Bell Telephone refurbishing returned units.

I JUST sold one of those phones, the exact same model, a Western Electric 228 on eBay awhile ago.

Here's the one I sold. It has a dial card with an 803 area code. I don't see a dial card on yours.

 

[Tom]

I'd go back to what I did before there was an internet.

 

[tkcartoonist]

I've heard a similar thought experiment from George Carlin, but it was about electricity disappearing. I would say that there would be similar results: panic over not knowing what to do because of our dependence on electricity/the internet. There is one major difference though: there are still some people who were around pre-internet, so at least there's someone to turn to if the internet disappeared. There isn't a soul alive today that was around pre-electricity, so the only people to rely on to weather that storm are either remote tribesman or the Amish.

 

[Richelle-H]

If I did not make it clear in my original post, there is no easy or quick enough way back to the way things used to be for things to stabilize before total collapse. Technological advances have slowly gobbled up the past in ways we do not even think about, telegraph lines for example. The U.S. landline infrastructure has been allowed to deteriorate, as need has decreased due to technology. The last time I had a landline was some 7 years ago, and where did all the pay phones go for that matter. Also, I find it hard to believe that any new construction worries about connecting to that decaying infrastructure because of the predominance and prevalence of cell phones.

The handwriting is on the wall if one has eyes to see.

 

[Forest Cat]

If I did not make it clear in my original post, there is no easy or quick enough way back to the way things used to be for things to stabilize before total collapse. Technological advances have slowly gobbled up the past in ways we do not even think about, telegraph lines for example. The U.S. landline infrastructure has been allowed to deteriorate, as need has decreased due to technology. The last time I had a landline was some 7 years ago, and where did all the pay phones go for that matter. Also, I find it hard to believe that any new construction worries about connecting to that decaying infrastructure because of the predominance and prevalence of cell phones.

The handwriting is on the wall if one has eyes to see.

I was just thinking that we wouldn't have a choice. Either make it work or lie down and give up. But you're probably right. My house is still connected to copper wires from the 1890s and I have a landline, so I'll figure something out.

 

[Richelle-H]

I was just thinking that we wouldn't have a choice. Either make it work or lie down and give up. But you're probably right. My house is still connected to copper wires from the 1890s and I have a landline, so I'll figure something out.

To quote the Firesign Theater: Forward into the past!

 

[Georgia Galaxy]

As someone who used to be addicted, I would personally enjoy it, but I would miss some conveniences. Luckily for me though, I don't spend as much time online as I used to, which makes it less likely that I would be upset if that happened ^^ I would also be happy for my family because we would have even higher of a chance to properly interact with each other without the strain of technology; a digital barrier if you will. I'm pretty sure some people I know would go crazy without the internet though X,D

 

[Georgia Galaxy]

I loved my Nokia phones.

Nowadays I pretty much buy really cool cameras that can also serve as a telephone.

Phones are cameras nowadays

 

[Georgia Galaxy]

I would also like to mention that specifically for autistic people, the internet is in many cases the only way we socialize. Autism isn't very common and many of us have difficulties communicating, so we often cultivate friendships online to compensate for the lack of in-person friendships.

This makes me sad because my AuDHD friend was more interested in her online friends then she was in me :,DD And it was hard for me to take that her Mum said, "I don't think she can stay around you for too long...." As in she gets bored really quickly and can't be patient, or something.

 

[Forest Cat]

One thing that would be a little sad is that this forum wouldn't be here.

 

[Georgia Galaxy]

Despite what I just said, I agree with your points @Stuttermabolur .

 

[Georgia Galaxy]

One thing that would be a little sad is that this forum wouldn't be here.

So true!

 

[Georgia Galaxy]

I'd go back to what I did before there was an internet.

Same! My life was pretty neat before that.

 

[Nitro]

Phones are cameras nowadays

Back when likely one in 500 carried a camera daily, we got a few really crappy shots of bigfoot.
There was no internet to share 'em then either.
Now that nearly everyone owns a smartphone/Hubble telescope that rides on their hip, I'm still waiting for the proof they exist

 

[Nitro]

If I did not make it clear in my original post, there is no easy or quick enough way back to the way things used to be for things to stabilize before total collapse. Technological advances have slowly gobbled up the past in ways we do not even think about, telegraph lines for example. The U.S. landline infrastructure has been allowed to deteriorate, as need has decreased due to technology. The last time I had a landline was some 7 years ago, and where did all the pay phones go for that matter. Also, I find it hard to believe that any new construction worries about connecting to that decaying infrastructure because of the predominance and prevalence of cell phones.

The handwriting is on the wall if one has eyes to see.

 

[Nitro]

4.5 megabytes of data on punch cards circa 1955

To put it into perspective, that is 62,500 punch cards

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Hospitals are absolutely dependent on internet access, and the rapid transmission of information. Let's pray, for the most vulnerable among us, that such a thing never happens.