Technology

The idea is very different than the reality. The freedom of information, communication, and variety are so much better now.

Need a job, get a newspaper for classified ads and take whatever you can get, or start calling friends and networking when you're lucky to get a voicemail.

Want to unwind and watch something? You can spend all evening flipping through channel after channel of garbage.

Need to learn something, prepare to spend days going to different public libraries to find anything useful. Most people don't learn anything. Most people's only adult social connection is though religion. It is a small dumb world where I grew up.

Ah, the good old remantization of the things you don't know.

If they're so eager about it, they can try taking their hands off the phone, for change.

I have to wonder if the real discussion here is between 'pre-internet' or 'not the internet where you're the product being sold and sold to', because I strongly suspect it's the latter that's the issue here.

I'm just barely old enough to recall how things worked before the internet and I don't think people would ever really want to go back to not being able to watch anything they want, any time they want, or not having turn-by-turn directions or even things like ordering a pizza by having to call someone on the phone.

No way, maps and GPS are far too useful.

I wonder if 'majority of Americans' really means the guy who wrote this article.

Though in all seriousness I just cannot comprehend that there are people out there who really think the negatives of all this tech outweigh the positives.

Not sure who they are asking or if the poll is being manipulated, but I really can't see the majority of Americans wanting this. I lived recently in a retirement community, so boomers and older. And they all use and love the internet and cell phones. And everyone younger I run across uses a cell phone (and a computer both with internet).

What a stupid poll. I don't see what the article wants me to think, but it was probably a couched question, considering the article explicitly links the Internet to pedophiles, criminals, and people who advocate abolishing democracy.

No mention of the good things that the ability to instantly communicate around the world means. Or a reminder of how stupid things were before the Internet. Like vacuum tubes at Lowe's.

Even a 54 year old, the top age polled, has no idea what a world without Internet means, as they would have been in their early twenties as America Online was rolling out.

They probably expect it to be just a world where "Do Not Disturb" mode is enabled on their phones all the time while still having access to Netflix and credit card instant transactions and not balancing a checkbook.

Imagine going on a road trip and getting stuck somewhere 3 hours from home with no cell phone

I was just thinking this earlier today. Life just seemed more simple.

The problem with polls like this is that the Internet means something different to everyone. To some Facebook and the like is the entire internet.

I wouldn't... No GPS or computerized banking, having to go to a physical store or order from a crappy catalog. Nah, no way would I ever.

AT THE TONE THE TIME WILL BE 12:49 AND 50 SECONDS. BEEP!

No thanks. I like my internet time sync and GPS navigation.