Was it worth it ?

Gothic Image said

As a techno-nerd I should perhaps point out that the Internet and the World-Wide Web aren't the same thing ...  :-)

the Internet’s the highway, the Web’s just the billboards along the road :-)

tandi said

Instagram and Purpleport is infuriating, you are constantly checking to see who has looked at and liked your pics.

I think I need to go to rehab :-(

Edited by tandi

It's inadvertently turned a hobby into competition. It implies we're crap unless we have:

1. A ton of followers

2. A heap of likes/ loves

3. A bucket load of FPIs

4. An overflowing list of gushing references from models

5. A stack of your pics in models' portfolios

6. The most popular models wanting to shoot with you TFP

7. A zillion visitors to your portfolio every hour

If we don't have all the above, then we're second rate no-hopers who should stick to stamp collecting, model trains, and golf lol 🤣

In truth, life's what you make it. We can chose to have a relaxed knock-around at tennis with a friend, or have an enjoyable photoshoot without thinking/ fixating on the above. We have a choice how we view and react to our surroundings and situations.

There's also plenty of non-judgemental activities we can spend our money on, from dining out with friends and family, to foreign travel 😎😃

Gwenny said

This is such a complex topic, and I can see both sides. On one hand, the internet has undeniably changed the world in ways that were unimaginable even a few decades ago. The ability to access knowledge, create communities, and innovate at such a scale has been a monumental advancement for society. It has given rise to countless opportunities that simply didn’t exist before—whether in business, education, healthcare, or even in fostering global social movements. In that sense, Bowie was right—it was revolutionary.

But then, Bowie’s other perspective, calling it a "monster," also rings true. The internet has accelerated the pace of life, disrupted traditional industries, and fundamentally altered how we interact with each other. The sense of social disconnection in a hyper-connected world is real. The internet encourages surface-level engagement, and the anonymity it offers can bring out the worst in human behavior. The toll on mental health, especially among younger generations, is deeply concerning.

In the end, it's a double-edged sword. The internet has brought both immense good and significant harm, and whether it's worth the trade-offs might depend on how we, as individuals and society, choose to use and regulate it. I think the answer isn’t clear-cut—it’s more about finding balance, acknowledging the risks while maximizing the benefits.

I agree, there's a lot of "we do this, we do that" in this thread, but the Internet and WWW are only tools for us to make use of as we think fit. If you want to wander around glued to your 'phone and ignore normal social interaction, that's a personal choice.  If you feel the need to perpetually check your likes or ratings, that's another personal choice. No-one is making you do it.

Gothic Image said

Gwenny said

This is such a complex topic, and I can see both sides. On one hand, the internet has undeniably changed the world in ways that were unimaginable even a few decades ago. The ability to access knowledge, create communities, and innovate at such a scale has been a monumental advancement for society. It has given rise to countless opportunities that simply didn’t exist before—whether in business, education, healthcare, or even in fostering global social movements. In that sense, Bowie was right—it was revolutionary.

But then, Bowie’s other perspective, calling it a "monster," also rings true. The internet has accelerated the pace of life, disrupted traditional industries, and fundamentally altered how we interact with each other. The sense of social disconnection in a hyper-connected world is real. The internet encourages surface-level engagement, and the anonymity it offers can bring out the worst in human behavior. The toll on mental health, especially among younger generations, is deeply concerning.

In the end, it's a double-edged sword. The internet has brought both immense good and significant harm, and whether it's worth the trade-offs might depend on how we, as individuals and society, choose to use and regulate it. I think the answer isn’t clear-cut—it’s more about finding balance, acknowledging the risks while maximizing the benefits.

I agree, there's a lot of "we do this, we do that" in this thread, but the Internet and WWW are only tools for us to make use of as we think fit. If you want to wander around glued to your 'phone and ignore normal social interaction, that's a personal choice.  If you feel the need to perpetually check your likes or ratings, that's another personal choice. No-one is making you do it.

This isn’t the point of the thread, and what you're saying is inaccurate. The reality is that for newer generations, what you're dismissing as a 'choice' is deeply embedded in their culture and way of life. Kids are bullied on social media by classmates and sometimes tragically take their own lives because they don’t know how to talk to real people anymore. You’re belittling a serious subject simply because it doesn’t interest you, seemingly to get attention. Ironically, that’s part of the very internet culture you’re dismissing—so, like it or not, you’re involved in it. welcome :-) 

Edited by ANDY00

The trouble with progress is it keeps progressing. Take long walks out in nature there your find the trees still cycle through the seasons, the birds still hunt for food and life goes on that humans seem to forget in our own bubble of our own making. 
Im surrounded by Giant Sequoia (sequoidendron giganteum) trees where I live (for some reason in Britain we call them Wellingtonia) the ones in Britain are still “babies” but are the tallest trees in our area where for some reason hundreds were planted over 150 years ago. Its sights like this that keep you grounded that the internet is not essential but somehow we have made it so, that the most important thing for our continued survival as a species is to respect our planet and make sure it can still provide for us because since the Industrial Revolution we have been using resources at an alarming rate that’s not sustainable and the the internet will not matter. 

ANDY00 said

Gothic Image said

Gwenny said

This is such a complex topic, and I can see both sides. On one hand, the internet has undeniably changed the world in ways that were unimaginable even a few decades ago. The ability to access knowledge, create communities, and innovate at such a scale has been a monumental advancement for society. It has given rise to countless opportunities that simply didn’t exist before—whether in business, education, healthcare, or even in fostering global social movements. In that sense, Bowie was right—it was revolutionary.

But then, Bowie’s other perspective, calling it a "monster," also rings true. The internet has accelerated the pace of life, disrupted traditional industries, and fundamentally altered how we interact with each other. The sense of social disconnection in a hyper-connected world is real. The internet encourages surface-level engagement, and the anonymity it offers can bring out the worst in human behavior. The toll on mental health, especially among younger generations, is deeply concerning.

In the end, it's a double-edged sword. The internet has brought both immense good and significant harm, and whether it's worth the trade-offs might depend on how we, as individuals and society, choose to use and regulate it. I think the answer isn’t clear-cut—it’s more about finding balance, acknowledging the risks while maximizing the benefits.

I agree, there's a lot of "we do this, we do that" in this thread, but the Internet and WWW are only tools for us to make use of as we think fit. If you want to wander around glued to your 'phone and ignore normal social interaction, that's a personal choice.  If you feel the need to perpetually check your likes or ratings, that's another personal choice. No-one is making you do it.

This isn’t the point of the thread, and what you're saying is inaccurate. The reality is that for newer generations, what you're dismissing as a 'choice' is deeply embedded in their culture and way of life. Kids are bullied on social media by classmates and sometimes tragically take their own lives because they don’t know how to talk to real people anymore. You’re belittling a serious subject simply because it doesn’t interest you, seemingly to get attention. Ironically, that’s part of the very internet culture you’re dismissing—so, like it or not, you’re involved in it. welcome :-) 

Edited by ANDY00

Ah - the children aspect is a completely different thing, and I agree with you on that.

Stating a fact isn't belittling anything and there's a useful discussion to be had here.

"The reality is that for newer generations, what you're dismissing as a 'choice' is deeply embedded in their culture and way of life. Kids are bullied on social media by classmates and sometimes tragically take their own lives because they don’t know how to talk to real people anymore."

Perhaps we should be asking why this is the case?  Witness the ongoing discussions about banning 'phones in schools, surely we can't just lay this at the feet of the WWW?

A R G E N T U M it would be nice to have loads of followers, loads of likes, a bunch of fpi's, but the reality is I'm not a good enough model and my husband not a good enough photographer.

Once I realised that, I knew that we were always going to just be doing this for the love of it.

Someone told me husband once that he would never improve unless he use pro models. Obviously the guy didn't know my husband that well because he dug in and refuses to photograph anyone but me or me and someone 👍

Many of us that grew up in the 70s and 80s weren't at home simply to get away from our parents.

Many of us - if faced with the same choices as a kid then, that kids have now - would absolutely be locked in our bedroom on the PC, games console, phone etc. We just didn't have the same distractions.

We used to play in the streets - football, kerby, kick the post, bulldog, hopscotch, skipping etc - but that's because we *could*.

Private cars were an expensive luxury and in the 70s / early 80s, alternatively travel was available.

LDNs have been created to enable safe environments to get kids back in the streets - and what's happened? People still drive their cars through them; they set fire to planters, rip out bollards, pull down cameras ... just so they can drive their car. So what if a group of kids want to play without getting interrupted every few seconds.

Faced with that kind of choice ... most kids are going to go the path of least resistance and stay indoors.

As for communication between kids... I can't remember a deep meaningful conversation with my best friend ... certainly not about the abuse I was getting at home [not that it was considered abuse in the 70s], or that I thought I was gay [which I did for a while], or even that I felt that something was wrong, and that I was different [it was, and I was. I had undiagnosed PTSD from an early age, that led to a full scale nervous breakdown and an evening with a bottle of vodka, Pink Floyd's The Wall, and a very sharp knife]

The Internet is just a complex part in the jigsaw puzzle that is moden life... and like it or not, it's *our* fault that kids want to escape.

Stu H said

Many of us that grew up in the 70s and 80s weren't at home simply to get away from our parents.

Many of us - if faced with the same choices as a kid then, that kids have now - would absolutely be locked in our bedroom on the PC, games console, phone etc. We just didn't have the same distractions.

We used to play in the streets - football, kerby, kick the post, bulldog, hopscotch, skipping etc - but that's because we *could*.

Private cars were an expensive luxury and in the 70s / early 80s, alternatively travel was available.

LDNs have been created to enable safe environments to get kids back in the streets - and what's happened? People still drive their cars through them; they set fire to planters, rip out bollards, pull down cameras ... just so they can drive their car. So what if a group of kids want to play without getting interrupted every few seconds.

Faced with that kind of choice ... most kids are going to go the path of least resistance and stay indoors.

As for communication between kids... I can't remember a deep meaningful conversation with my best friend ... certainly not about the abuse I was getting at home [not that it was considered abuse in the 70s], or that I thought I was gay [which I did for a while], or even that I felt that something was wrong, and that I was different [it was, and I was. I had undiagnosed PTSD from an early age, that led to a full scale nervous breakdown and an evening with a bottle of vodka, Pink Floyd's The Wall, and a very sharp knife]

The Internet is just a complex part in the jigsaw puzzle that is moden life... and like it or not, it's *our* fault that kids want to escape.

You were confused, sure, like all kids are at some point. But now, with social media and the internet, kids who feel unsure about who they are get pushed into these categories so quickly. They might end up on hormone replacement therapy, or worse, go through a full transition and regret it later in life. It’s like they’re being pressured into making huge, life-changing decisions when they’re still figuring things out.

On top of that, apps like Snapchat and Facebook Messenger are breeding grounds for people to coerce kids into sending images or talking to strangers they wouldn’t normally approach in real life. We allow the internet to track our phones, and with the way kids upload constant updates and images, it’s way too easy for anyone to know exactly where they are almost all of the time.

When we were kids, we spent most of our time outside, and everyone in the neighborhood knew who we were, both kids and adults. If a strange car or person was talking to you, the whole neighborhood would be aware of it. But now, if you see a kid talking to someone in the street, whether on foot or in a car, chances are you won’t recognize the kid, the car, or give it a second thought.

ANDY00 said

Stu H said

Many of us that grew up in the 70s and 80s weren't at home simply to get away from our parents.

Many of us - if faced with the same choices as a kid then, that kids have now - would absolutely be locked in our bedroom on the PC, games console, phone etc. We just didn't have the same distractions.

We used to play in the streets - football, kerby, kick the post, bulldog, hopscotch, skipping etc - but that's because we *could*.

Private cars were an expensive luxury and in the 70s / early 80s, alternatively travel was available.

LDNs have been created to enable safe environments to get kids back in the streets - and what's happened? People still drive their cars through them; they set fire to planters, rip out bollards, pull down cameras ... just so they can drive their car. So what if a group of kids want to play without getting interrupted every few seconds.

Faced with that kind of choice ... most kids are going to go the path of least resistance and stay indoors.

As for communication between kids... I can't remember a deep meaningful conversation with my best friend ... certainly not about the abuse I was getting at home [not that it was considered abuse in the 70s], or that I thought I was gay [which I did for a while], or even that I felt that something was wrong, and that I was different [it was, and I was. I had undiagnosed PTSD from an early age, that led to a full scale nervous breakdown and an evening with a bottle of vodka, Pink Floyd's The Wall, and a very sharp knife]

The Internet is just a complex part in the jigsaw puzzle that is moden life... and like it or not, it's *our* fault that kids want to escape.

You were confused, sure, like all kids are at some point. But now, with social media and the internet, kids who feel unsure about who they are get pushed into these categories so quickly. They might end up on hormone replacement therapy, or worse, go through a full transition and regret it later in life. It’s like they’re being pressured into making huge, life-changing decisions when they’re still figuring things out.

On top of that, apps like Snapchat and Facebook Messenger are breeding grounds for people to coerce kids into sending images or talking to strangers they wouldn’t normally approach in real life. We allow the internet to track our phones, and with the way kids upload constant updates and images, it’s way too easy for anyone to know exactly where they are almost all of the time.

When we were kids, we spent most of our time outside, and everyone in the neighborhood knew who we were, both kids and adults. If a strange car or person was talking to you, the whole neighborhood would be aware of it. But now, if you see a kid talking to someone in the street, whether on foot or in a car, chances are you won’t recognize the kid, the car, or give it a second thought.

This is the crux of it. Subconsciousness is not written randomly like in the 70s and 80s. It's written deliberately with malice and kids are forced into groups by glorifying each group. It's heart breaking as a parent to watch those things happening to my kids and their friends all the time, from school to internet.

The random interaction without physical clues is another problem for the kids. They just can't use intuition or 6th sense to smell danger. 

Theta Aeterna said

ANDY00 said

Stu H said

Many of us that grew up in the 70s and 80s weren't at home simply to get away from our parents.

Many of us - if faced with the same choices as a kid then, that kids have now - would absolutely be locked in our bedroom on the PC, games console, phone etc. We just didn't have the same distractions.

We used to play in the streets - football, kerby, kick the post, bulldog, hopscotch, skipping etc - but that's because we *could*.

Private cars were an expensive luxury and in the 70s / early 80s, alternatively travel was available.

LDNs have been created to enable safe environments to get kids back in the streets - and what's happened? People still drive their cars through them; they set fire to planters, rip out bollards, pull down cameras ... just so they can drive their car. So what if a group of kids want to play without getting interrupted every few seconds.

Faced with that kind of choice ... most kids are going to go the path of least resistance and stay indoors.

As for communication between kids... I can't remember a deep meaningful conversation with my best friend ... certainly not about the abuse I was getting at home [not that it was considered abuse in the 70s], or that I thought I was gay [which I did for a while], or even that I felt that something was wrong, and that I was different [it was, and I was. I had undiagnosed PTSD from an early age, that led to a full scale nervous breakdown and an evening with a bottle of vodka, Pink Floyd's The Wall, and a very sharp knife]

The Internet is just a complex part in the jigsaw puzzle that is moden life... and like it or not, it's *our* fault that kids want to escape.

You were confused, sure, like all kids are at some point. But now, with social media and the internet, kids who feel unsure about who they are get pushed into these categories so quickly. They might end up on hormone replacement therapy, or worse, go through a full transition and regret it later in life. It’s like they’re being pressured into making huge, life-changing decisions when they’re still figuring things out.

On top of that, apps like Snapchat and Facebook Messenger are breeding grounds for people to coerce kids into sending images or talking to strangers they wouldn’t normally approach in real life. We allow the internet to track our phones, and with the way kids upload constant updates and images, it’s way too easy for anyone to know exactly where they are almost all of the time.

When we were kids, we spent most of our time outside, and everyone in the neighborhood knew who we were, both kids and adults. If a strange car or person was talking to you, the whole neighborhood would be aware of it. But now, if you see a kid talking to someone in the street, whether on foot or in a car, chances are you won’t recognize the kid, the car, or give it a second thought.

This is the crux of it. Subconsciousness is not written randomly like in the 70s and 80s. It's written deliberately with malice and kids are forced into groups by glorifying each group. It's heart breaking as a parent to watch those things happening to my kids and their friends all the time, from school to internet.

The random interaction without physical clues is another problem for the kids. They just can't use intuition or 6th sense to smell danger. 

Which is the reason for the question, because I’m certainly, to be honest, seeing more positives to being without it and definitely more safety. The Amish communities have no internet or electricity and are much more community-based. They have 65% fewer assaults than the whole of the U.S., 90% fewer murders, 80% less theft, and drug and alcohol use is under 1%. As a close-knit community, depression is far lower than in the rest of the country, almost nonexistent. Studies have also shown they have much lower rates of cancer, likely due to the fact they aren’t eating fast food, smoking, or drinking. Without the internet, their children don’t even think about it. if i was young and raising kids again i would be very worried for what they are axposed to on the internet now.

tandi I’m sorry I’ve just looked at some of pictures.

I’ll go and stand in a corner for ten minutes.😂😂😂😂😂

ANDY00 said

This is the crux of it. Subconsciousness is not written randomly like in the 70s and 80s. It's written deliberately with malice and kids are forced into groups by glorifying each group. It's heart breaking as a parent to watch those things happening to my kids and their friends all the time, from school to internet.

The random interaction without physical clues is another problem for the kids. They just can't use intuition or 6th sense to smell danger. 

Which is the reason for the question, because I’m certainly, to be honest, seeing more positives to being without it and definitely more safety. The Amish communities have no internet or electricity and are much more community-based. They have 65% fewer assaults than the whole of the U.S., 90% fewer murders, 80% less theft, and drug and alcohol use is under 1%. As a close-knit community, depression is far lower than in the rest of the country, almost nonexistent. Studies have also shown they have much lower rates of cancer, likely due to the fact they aren’t eating fast food, smoking, or drinking. Without the internet, their children don’t even think about it. if i was young and raising kids again i would be very worried for what they are axposed to on the internet now.

I have to disagree with you about the value of the WWW and the Internet in general, I think they have been overwhelmingly positive.  On the other hand, social media has an awful lot to answer for and I don't think that we fully appreciate its effect even now.

sd photography54 said

tandi I’m sorry I’ve just looked at some of pictures.

I’ll go and stand in a corner for ten minutes.😂😂😂😂😂

Like most things, this just went right over my head :-) I just don't understand