25 Aug 12
1 edit
Had this discussion the other day with my wife; curious to see what direction folks herein would choose, given the option.
Considering all that is available on the internet, from the good
education, medical, religious, etc.,
to the bad http://www.buzzfeed.com/reyhan/how-child-porn-and-the-other-awfulest-things-ever
, are we better off having the internet?25 Aug 12
Originally posted by FreakyKBHWhy must we be better or worse off? The internet is a tool and all tools can be used for good or bad.
Had this discussion the other day with my wife; curious to see what direction folks herein would choose, given the option.
Considering all that is available on the internet, from the good[hidden]education, medical, religious, etc.,[/hidden] to the bad [hidden]http://www.buzzfeed.com/reyhan/how-child-porn-and-the-other-awfulest-things-ever[/hidden], are we better off having the internet?
25 Aug 12
Originally posted by Phil HillIs the question that difficult for you?
Why must we be better or worse off? The internet is a tool and all tools can be used for good or bad.
If a tool has utility (for better or worse), the users are obviously changed as a result of its invention. If a tool has no utility, it is discarded and no change is realized.
25 Aug 12
Originally posted by FreakyKBHHow is the question to difficult? It is a badly phrased question and if you do not like my answer, then refrain from asking in a public forum.
Is the question that difficult for you?
If a tool has utility (for better or worse), the users are obviously changed as a result of its invention. If a tool has no utility, it is discarded and no change is realized.
25 Aug 12
Originally posted by FreakyKBHWe are better off. Much better off.
Had this discussion the other day with my wife; curious to see what direction folks herein would choose, given the option.
Considering all that is available on the internet, from the good[hidden]education, medical, religious, etc.,[/hidden] to the bad [hidden]http://www.buzzfeed.com/reyhan/how-child-porn-and-the-other-awfulest-things-ever[/hidden], are we better off having the internet?
There are some terrible things on the Internet but we can put resources into actually limiting those things and enforcing the laws that might be violated.
The benefits of having the ability to spread knowledge and communicate around the world outweighs the problems.
25 Aug 12
Originally posted by PsychoPawnJust to throw a wrench in the works, are we still better off when some psycho or psychos decide to learn how to build a thermonuclear bomb with plans they downloaded off the internet and to make matters worse they set it off in the city you live killing the entire population? As I said, tools can be used for good or for bad so the question is phrased badly. For example a hammer is a great tool for building things but in the hands of a psycho it can be a great tool for bashing in a skull. Do hammers make us better off?
We are better off. Much better off.
There are some terrible things on the Internet but we can put resources into actually limiting those things and enforcing the laws that might be violated.
The benefits of having the ability to spread knowledge and communicate around the world outweighs the problems.
25 Aug 12
2 edits
I would argue that the Internet, and digital communication, are arguably the most important and beneficial of inventions ever. Dictators have always tried to control communication and sources of knowledge and information. These inventions make this that much harder. Without these inventions, I wonder if the Arab Spring would have happened.
We are living through a period where we are seeing a huge widening of access to knowledge and information away from just the (relatively) few and to the many, and from 'authorities' to ordinary people. I for one think the benefits of this massively outweigh the downsides. The more, the better, I say.
25 Aug 12
Originally posted by Phil HillGee, it sounds as though you're making my argument for me. Um, thanks?
Just to throw a wrench in the works, are we still better off when some psycho or psychos decide to learn how to build a thermonuclear bomb with plans they downloaded off the internet and to make matters worse they set it off in the city you live killing the entire population? As I said, tools can be used for good or for bad so the question is phrased badly ...[text shortened]... hands of a psycho it can be a great tool for bashing in a skull. Do hammers make us better off?
Since the concept appears to be above your pay grade, let's break it down for ya. When a tool is invented, people will either find use for it and thus perpetuate its existence, or find no use for it and it will fade from the scene. Conversely, some tools are used so predominately for bad that we move to rid ourselves of it their use.
Tools can be used for either good or bad or (in many cases) both. The internet is one of those tools. The OP asks, considering all that has been sponsored within its borders, does the good of it outweigh the bad.
If the good outweighs the bad, we ought to continue using it. If the bad outweighs the good, we ought to discontinue using it.
25 Aug 12
Originally posted by FreakyKBHTo put it another way, we can do a cost/benefit analysis.
Gee, it sounds as though you're making my argument for me. Um, thanks?
Since the concept appears to be above your pay grade, let's break it down for ya. When a tool is invented, people will either find use for it and thus perpetuate its existence, or find no use for it and it will fade from the scene. Conversely, some tools are used so predominately ...[text shortened]... ought to continue using it. If the bad outweighs the good, we ought to discontinue using it.
For the hammer, on the benefit side we have a tool which is cheap and millions of people have used to make/mend things and improve their lives.
On the cost side, a tiny number of people have used them to kill people. However, this cost is reduced significantly by the fact that, had a hammer not been to hand, the nutter might have used a stone, a baseball bat etc.
So the benefits massively outweigh the costs.
You can do the same for the Internet, which is what I think the OP is aiming to explore. My view is that it results in being massively positive.
25 Aug 12
Originally posted by FreakyKBHFreaky, we can't even agree if prostituting yourself for money and then having an abortion via taxpayer dollars that was mandated by the Unconstitutional Obamacare is good or bad. How on earth are we ever going to come to a decision about the internet? 😛
Had this discussion the other day with my wife; curious to see what direction folks herein would choose, given the option.
Considering all that is available on the internet, from the good[hidden]education, medical, religious, etc.,[/hidden] to the bad [hidden]http://www.buzzfeed.com/reyhan/how-child-porn-and-the-other-awfulest-things-ever[/hidden], are we better off having the internet?
25 Aug 12
Originally posted by Rank outsiderThat's two for keeping it. I may need a larger sampling base to formulate a more accurate conclusion.
To put it another way, we can do a cost/benefit analysis.
For the hammer, on the benefit side we have a tool which is cheap and millions of people have used to make/mend things and improve their lives.
On the cost side, a tiny number of people have used them to kill people. However, this cost is reduced significantly by the fact that, had a hamm ...[text shortened]... at I think the OP is aiming to explore. My view is that it results in being massively positive.
25 Aug 12
Originally posted by FreakyKBHWe are better off by far. I think the number 1 plus that the internet has brought is education. Number 2, is communication (don't forget that email uses the internet).
Had this discussion the other day with my wife; curious to see what direction folks herein would choose, given the option.
Considering all that is available on the internet, from the good[hidden]education, medical, religious, etc.,[/hidden] to the bad [hidden]http://www.buzzfeed.com/reyhan/how-child-porn-and-the-other-awfulest-things-ever[/hidden], are we better off having the internet?
I don't buy the argument that the internet educates bad people and is therefore bad. That is like saying we should deny education to everyone just in case we educate some bad people by mistake.
I do think that the distribution of porn to children is a major downside but that is having its biggest effect in countries that have strong restrictions on porn. For countries that used to have readily available porn magazines and VHS, children were already getting exposed to it.
25 Aug 12
Originally posted by whodeyI figured the dichotomy of my scenario would lend itself to a more clear-cut response. I may have been too optimistic...
Freaky, we can't even agree if prostituting yourself for money and then having an abortion via taxpayer dollars that was mandated by the Unconstitutional Obamacare is good or bad. How on earth are we ever going to come to a decision about the internet? 😛
25 Aug 12
Originally posted by twhiteheadFor 3.
We are better off by far. I think the number 1 plus that the internet has brought is education. Number 2, is communication (don't forget that email uses the internet).
I don't buy the argument that the internet educates bad people and is therefore bad. That is like saying we should deny education to everyone just in case we educate some bad people by mis ...[text shortened]... to have readily available porn magazines and VHS, children were already getting exposed to it.
Against 0.