Me, Myself, and the Internet

It would be very difficult to find somebody that has not been affected by the Internet in some way.  Whether it’s being used for downloading music, chatting with friends, online gaming, or running your business, everyone can have a purpose for using it.  It is very difficult for me to remember when it was that I used the Internet, but I would imagine that it had something to do with school.  Back then the only times that I accessed the Internet were probably at school or doing schoolwork, but that has changed dramatically.  With the wonderful creations of YouTube, fantasy football, AIM, and Hulu people have the option to do almost whatever they want. 

            I would have to say that the first thing that played a major role in my life was AOL Instant Messenger.  It was my cousin that had it at his house first and I remember going over there and him showing it to me.  I couldn’t believe that he was chatting with all of his friends over the Internet.  I was so intrigued that I had to experience it for myself.  Later that day I went home and begged my parents to get America Online so I could use the instant messenger.  They were not interested at first, but after a few weeks of begging, and a few free trials later they decided to switch over from Netscape.  I was so excited, and I wanted to make sure that everyone who knew me got my “screen name,” and before I knew it I was instant messaging.  Any new girls that I met we had to exchange “screen names” so we could talk every now and then as opposed to the conventional phone call.  These days you could walk by a family of four both kids being under 10, and they will all be on their phones.  It was fascinating at first, yet at times the process trying to obtain it was very frustrating.  Not only did I have to suck up to my parents for a pretty long time, when we finally did get AOL, it didn’t work right on our computer.  Fortunately, we needed a new computer anyways, and it was around Christmas time so there were some good deals, my parents decided to by a new computer as well.  I think that AIM seems more closely related to Vennevar Bush’s Memex than the threat to society that Hawthorne talks about.  Although there are those that believe that having things like online chatting, and social networks inhibit our abilities to interact with other people.  I am not so sure that I buy into it because I have used AIM, and I use Facebook, but I have not noticed any differences in my social behavior.  You could argue both ways with that one, but if I had to choose sides I would pick Bush’s. 

AOL Instant Messenger was a significant feature that was brought to the Internet, but oh who could forget dial-up modems.  First you wait, and then wait some more, and then by the time that it does load you’re fed up waiting and you have walked away from the computer     

            Another thing about the Internet that affected my life was downloading music.  The thought of never having to pay for a CD or cassette again sounded wonderful, but it was too good to be true.  Once again it was my cousin who had introduced me to the latest thing with the Internet, and that was Napster.  At first I didn’t understand it.  You search your song, then double click which one you want, and then you “download” it, but from where?  I could not wrap my head around the fact that the Internet linked his and another person’s computer together so that you could get files from each other.  Then not only could he have those songs on the computer, but he then “burnt” them to a CD and gave it to me.  He said,” Go put that in the CD player over there.” and sure enough it played when I put it in.  Well of course I thought that was so cool, and I was going to get as many songs as I could and burn as many CD’s as I could.  Unfortunately not to long after that Napster was shut down, and downloading music was made illegal.  This seems to be more closely related to Bush’s idea of the Memex than AIM, but only to those not working in the music industry.  For them, if everyone simply downloaded their music for free, then they would be out of a job.  People still do download music, but now that we have iTunes many people feel that is easier and less of a risk to buy their music on iTunes. 

            The Internet has already changed my life so much that I can’t even imagine what could be in store next.  Instant Messenger and Napster were huge influences on our society, so should we be excited about the future?