What would happen if the Internet died?

Started by Jerry, February 18, 2010, 11:03:15 AM

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Jerry

Interesting Debate topic---

http://www.mancouch.com/722075939/what-would-you-do-if-the-internet-was-destroyed/

      What Would You Do If The Internet Was Destroyed?


      A long time ago, in a place that might seem like another dimension, the internet did not yet exist. It was a sad place, a grim world where conversations took place over the telephone and in person. It was a place where people had to keep up the pretenses of being polite, respectable people, lest they be viewed as angry, raving lunatics. And as for information? Well, it moved slowly. So slowly, in fact, that documents were moved in things called envelopes and driven on trucks to their destination. Sounds like the damn dark ages, doesn't it?

      Really though, what would happen to the world today if the Internet was suddenly yanked out from under us? I'm not asking what things would be like if it never existed, either. I want to know what so many internet-reliant people would do when faced with a sudden, permanent loss of instantaneous communication.

      I've got a few predictions:

      1. The global economy would take a massive, MASSIVE hit. I'm no economic forecaster, of course, but it doesn't take a number-cruncher to recognize the how many companies are reliant on the web to make their profit. Millions would be out of work, and IT workers would find a major part of their expertise circling the drain.

      2. There would likely be a sudden pregnancy boom. With so many people finding that their favorite web hobbies are no longer available to them, it's realistic to think that people might start spending more quality time with their significant other's. Additionally, with the inevitable collapse of the pr0n industry, people will have to try harder to stay carnally satisfied, leading everyone to new relationships and lower expectations. Clicking and wanking will no longer be a replacement for a girlfriend.

      3. Support groups would spring up overnight. Facebook withdrawal, coupled with numerous other forms of detox symptoms brought on by internetlessness will bring the weak-spirited to their knees. The mantra "Hi, my name is [blank], and I lost all my [insert social network here] friends." will be repeated thousands upon thousands of times. Pills will be popped, alcohol consumed, and coping will ensue. It will be a long, hard process for many.

      4. Slowly but surely, people will stop acting like assholes. The internet has always had the unique ability to turn people who would normally be smiling, polite citizens into malicious morons with nothing better to do than berate their fellow man for a difference of opinion. The slower pace of information may also serve to keep people's nerves below boiling point. Without the barrier of anonymity that the internet provides, incidences of flaming should dissipate quickly and be left to the only place it really ever belonged anyway: Congress.

      5. Obesity will gradually decline. Usage of the internet also involves a great deal of sit-on-your-ass-itis, which means that without it, people will begin to use their legs more often and slowly venture outdoors again. Computers will still be useful for various activities, of course, but the idea of getting up to smell the roses will take hold more easily without the addictive lure of the web.

      What would you do, or what do you think would happen if the internet were suddenly gone?

----

interesting, no?

considering how much we rely on technology in general, especially with smart phones- laptops and etc.
how badly would you freak out if the internet globally would decide to go down the tubes?
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Kuromi_Kat

People would keel over in the fetal position, sucking their thumbs going crazy.

I am not innocent I would be one of them. XD

G.I.R

Chris Hansen would have to hunt down pedophiles in the park instead of trying to find them online.

Kertus

Mario '06. Sven '08. Jared '09. Gai '10. Cobra '11. Kenji '12. Spike '13.
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Jerry

Just think of a world that never had memes....


or think of the chain mail of something funny were to be passed around. :P

remember chain mail?

ah... those were the days.  ;)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jerry.pang


Games, Friends & Fanime oh my! :D

Touya no Miko

If that were to happen, then I guess I would have to learn how to make my own costumes from scratch, instead of having commissioners and tutorials bail me out.
OMG! What the Fugnuggets is going on?!

Glitch

This sounds like the name of a horror movie. *quickly steals idea.*

Jerry

" The Day the Internet Died... "

does sound like a pretty radical movie.

That should be like the next "2012" like movie :P
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jerry.pang


Games, Friends & Fanime oh my! :D

Glitch

Quote from: Jerry on February 23, 2010, 02:59:08 PM
" The Day the Internet Died... "

does sound like a pretty radical movie.

That should be like the next "2012" like movie :P
Man 1:"Oh no. I can't get internet!"
Man 2: "You mean your cell phone died?"
Man 1: "No, it can easily make and recieve calls. But the internet won't connect!"
Man 2: "AAAhhhh!!!!"

AbsolutelyCursed

Quote from: Jerry on February 23, 2010, 02:59:08 PM
" The Day the Internet Died... "

does sound like a pretty radical movie.

That should be like the next "2012" like movie :P

Assuming we live past 2012.

BrightHeart76

In all seriousness it would be a hard hit to lose the internet.  So much of our world revolves around it.  How many people still remember the Dewey Decimal System to find information in the library?  Economy would be bad enough, but our entire information gathering process has been altered by the internet.  It would definately be a different world.

In no seriousness at all (I had to post these..it's like this topic called to me to post these...Trust me just watch)

A discussion of what would happen if the Internet were destroyed begins at 4 minutes 30 seconds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAUyaELfwBo

This is how you would likely kill the internet (if that was your goal)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oCHxB8d20s
Sometimes I'm glad I became a teacher.  Other times I wish I had simply become a ninja.

AngelWings

Quote from: Jerry on February 18, 2010, 11:03:15 AM


      2. There would likely be a sudden pregnancy boom. With so many people finding that their favorite web hobbies are no longer available to them, it's realistic to think that people might start spending more quality time with their significant other's. Additionally, with the inevitable collapse of the pr0n industry, people will have to try harder to stay carnally satisfied, leading everyone to new relationships and lower expectations. Clicking and wanking will no longer be a replacement for a girlfriend.

      3. Support groups would spring up overnight. Facebook withdrawal, coupled with numerous other forms of detox symptoms brought on by internetlessness will bring the weak-spirited to their knees. The mantra "Hi, my name is [blank], and I lost all my [insert social network here] friends." will be repeated thousands upon thousands of times. Pills will be popped, alcohol consumed, and coping will ensue. It will be a long, hard process for many.


On the plus side I think that our postal service would be able to pull itself out of it's current downward slump. And the newspaper industry... hell all types of printed media would have a second life. And with all the people in need of therapy our mental health services would probably recieve more funding! (plus the porn industry has been losing customers for years to the internet... so while it would take it hit it would probably balance out in the end)

Glitch

Quote from: AngelWings on March 06, 2010, 04:58:44 PM
Quote from: Jerry on February 18, 2010, 11:03:15 AM


      2. There would likely be a sudden pregnancy boom. With so many people finding that their favorite web hobbies are no longer available to them, it's realistic to think that people might start spending more quality time with their significant other's. Additionally, with the inevitable collapse of the pr0n industry, people will have to try harder to stay carnally satisfied, leading everyone to new relationships and lower expectations. Clicking and wanking will no longer be a replacement for a girlfriend.

      3. Support groups would spring up overnight. Facebook withdrawal, coupled with numerous other forms of detox symptoms brought on by internetlessness will bring the weak-spirited to their knees. The mantra "Hi, my name is [blank], and I lost all my [insert social network here] friends." will be repeated thousands upon thousands of times. Pills will be popped, alcohol consumed, and coping will ensue. It will be a long, hard process for many.


On the plus side I think that our postal service would be able to pull itself out of it's current downward slump. And the newspaper industry... hell all types of printed media would have a second life. And with all the people in need of therapy our mental health services would probably recieve more funding! (plus the porn industry has been losing customers for years to the internet... so while it would take it hit it would probably balance out in the end)
I wouldn't say the postal service is in a slump. What they lost with the internet(like sending letters) they made up with packages being sent by e-stores.(people being too lazy to shop in person actually came to their benenfit) And of course music would be set back very far. It would be very hard just to get a sample of a band. And distributuion of music would once again be dominated by greedy companies who think they own musicians. We've come to far to go back to "musical trends".

lunarknight

 I believe the world would be sent literally into the dark ages again

At this point in time humans have come to have much dependence on technology. Most of this technology is revolved around the internet and connecting to the rest of the world. For the internet is deeply ingrained in every aspect of human society from the financial district to the telecommunication department. So if the internet were to systematically shutdown worldwide then the world would then be plunged into an untold amount of chaos.

The worst case scenario I can see is the start of WW3 if the world literally crashes and burns with the loss of macro amounts of information globally.

Another worst case scenario is anarchy leading to a warped society. God, who knows what will happen if anarchy swept the entire world.

Steve.Young

The world would collapse, financially as well as socially. We are so globally rooted to the internet, it would be impossible to continue our ways of life in government and business.

I would go on a killing spree, to get my Counter-Strike fix.

I'd develop a replacement for the Internet, commercialize it, and take over the world Resident Evil Umbrella Mad Corporation style.


This has already happened on South Park.
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AngelWings

Quote from: Glitch on March 14, 2010, 08:04:01 PM
Quote from: AngelWings on March 06, 2010, 04:58:44 PM
Quote from: Jerry on February 18, 2010, 11:03:15 AM


      2. There would likely be a sudden pregnancy boom. With so many people finding that their favorite web hobbies are no longer available to them, it's realistic to think that people might start spending more quality time with their significant other's. Additionally, with the inevitable collapse of the pr0n industry, people will have to try harder to stay carnally satisfied, leading everyone to new relationships and lower expectations. Clicking and wanking will no longer be a replacement for a girlfriend.

      3. Support groups would spring up overnight. Facebook withdrawal, coupled with numerous other forms of detox symptoms brought on by internetlessness will bring the weak-spirited to their knees. The mantra "Hi, my name is [blank], and I lost all my [insert social network here] friends." will be repeated thousands upon thousands of times. Pills will be popped, alcohol consumed, and coping will ensue. It will be a long, hard process for many.


On the plus side I think that our postal service would be able to pull itself out of it's current downward slump. And the newspaper industry... hell all types of printed media would have a second life. And with all the people in need of therapy our mental health services would probably recieve more funding! (plus the porn industry has been losing customers for years to the internet... so while it would take it hit it would probably balance out in the end)
I wouldn't say the postal service is in a slump. What they lost with the internet(like sending letters) they made up with packages being sent by e-stores.(people being too lazy to shop in person actually came to their benenfit) And of course music would be set back very far. It would be very hard just to get a sample of a band. And distributuion of music would once again be dominated by greedy companies who think they own musicians. We've come to far to go back to "musical trends".
Hmmm. I think I posted right after reading an article about the post office reaching a decision on whether to stop deliveries for one of their days do to cost.... or something like that.-_-;

ichigocorcor

Quote from: BrightHeart76 on February 25, 2010, 08:51:32 PM
In all seriousness it would be a hard hit to lose the internet.  So much of our world revolves around it.  How many people still remember the Dewey Decimal System to find information in the library?  Economy would be bad enough, but our entire information gathering process has been altered by the internet.  It would definately be a different world.


the dewey decimal system is still posted in all the libraries in my town... plus i don't think libraries use the internet to catalogue their books, they use a database. maybe a network, but you can network computers without an internet connection. yay firewire :]
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Nephilim

Even if you can't download music/movies you can still burn copies of CDs/DVDs . (^_~)b
Grammar and spelling would probably improve. Written media would become popular again. And yes, obesity rates would go down.

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NerdyBirdAsh

Quote from: AngelWings on April 11, 2010, 12:29:18 AM
Quote from: Glitch on March 14, 2010, 08:04:01 PM
Quote from: AngelWings on March 06, 2010, 04:58:44 PM
Quote from: Jerry on February 18, 2010, 11:03:15 AM


      2. There would likely be a sudden pregnancy boom. With so many people finding that their favorite web hobbies are no longer available to them, it's realistic to think that people might start spending more quality time with their significant other's. Additionally, with the inevitable collapse of the pr0n industry, people will have to try harder to stay carnally satisfied, leading everyone to new relationships and lower expectations. Clicking and wanking will no longer be a replacement for a girlfriend.

      3. Support groups would spring up overnight. Facebook withdrawal, coupled with numerous other forms of detox symptoms brought on by internetlessness will bring the weak-spirited to their knees. The mantra "Hi, my name is [blank], and I lost all my [insert social network here] friends." will be repeated thousands upon thousands of times. Pills will be popped, alcohol consumed, and coping will ensue. It will be a long, hard process for many.


On the plus side I think that our postal service would be able to pull itself out of it's current downward slump. And the newspaper industry... hell all types of printed media would have a second life. And with all the people in need of therapy our mental health services would probably recieve more funding! (plus the porn industry has been losing customers for years to the internet... so while it would take it hit it would probably balance out in the end)
I wouldn't say the postal service is in a slump. What they lost with the internet(like sending letters) they made up with packages being sent by e-stores.(people being too lazy to shop in person actually came to their benenfit) And of course music would be set back very far. It would be very hard just to get a sample of a band. And distributuion of music would once again be dominated by greedy companies who think they own musicians. We've come to far to go back to "musical trends".
Hmmm. I think I posted right after reading an article about the post office reaching a decision on whether to stop deliveries for one of their days do to cost.... or something like that.-_-;

I've read that article.
It's true.
Notice that post office hours seem to have gotten shorter?

The thing is, that yes e-commerce has brought a lot of business to shippers, but it's mostly to places like UPS or Fed-Ex.
The USPS gets very little business in comparison to ages past thanks to the internet.
That's why they're looking for way to cut costs, such as cutting a day from their delivery schedule.
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Haruka

     Were the internet to disappear tomorrow, I would be in a world of hurt for a while.  I've gotten out of the habit of making phone calls and handle most communications through IM.  But I'm of an age to actually remember the world and functioning in it prior to the internet, so I suppose if I did it once I can do it again.  Anyone under the age of about 25 or so, though will totally be screwed.  Afterall, how will you guys Google survival tips for 2012 if the internet is dead? 
     In all seriousness,though, the digitization of media would put all that data in danger.  Digital books?  iTunes?  Online newspapers?  Gone once the internet dies.  That's why I'm not bothering with the Kindle or Carbonite digital data storage.
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