What Was Life Like Before The Internet?

Posted on October 25, 2006 at 02:35 AM

As time marches forward it is becoming increasingly difficult to remember what life was like before the Internet. For some of today's youth the Internet in it's current form has always existed. So let's take a moment to reminisce about what life was like before the Internet (and what has changed since it's conception) before we all forget.

Before: Family time was spent watching TV or playing board games together.

After: Family time is spent in separate corners of the house, each on their own computer instant messaging one another.

Before: People could properly spell and used decent grammar.

After: Now thx 2 IM and SMS, they spel lik dis. LOL!!!!!!

Before: We wrote letters to friends and loved ones far away, and maybe even the occasional Pen Pal.

After: Now we just forward joke e-mails and Internet hoaxes to loved ones and friends while not even bothering to remove the hundreds of forwarded addresses contained within the message. By the way, what's a Pen Pal?

Before: Door-to-door Encyclopedia salesmen.

After: Wikipedia donations.

Before: Recording industry execs making fat profits all-the-while complaining about the bootlegging of their music.

After: Recording industry execs making fat profits all-the-while complaining about illegal downloading via p2p networks.

Before: We used the Dewey Decimal System and Microfilm to find information at local Libraries.

After: Google

Before: Phone books

After: Search engines

Before: Teen lines

After: Cell phones, IM, SMS, email, Skype, etc...

Before: Floating checks to avoid overdrafting your checking account.

After: Immediately bouncing checks (or maybe you're asking yourself what is a Check?)

Before: Getting caught looking at your Father's Playboy.

After: Catching your Dad looking at Internet porn because he forgot to clear his browser history.

Before: Kids would hang out at Video Arcades, Malls, Roller Rinks, and pizza places.

After: Kids hang out at MySpace.com

Speaking of MySpace...

Before: I have a friend named Tom.

After: Everyone has a friend named Tom and no one realizes they can easily get rid of him.

Before: People went on blind dates or met people at the bar to find romance.

After: Now we sit at home alone and surf Match.com to find romance.

Before: We scoured the neighborhoods for Garage Sales with the best junk to buy.

After: eBay and Craigslist.

Before: VCRs and TV Guide

After: Tivo

Before: Walking billboards, bumper stickers and print advertising.

After: Viral videos and forehead advertising.

Before: Gossiping about a friend, neighbor, family member, or cow-orker.

After: We google people to get dirt on them.

Before: Shopping the day after Thanksgiving not quite sure of the deals you will find.

After: Planning your Black Friday assault in October thanks to web sites like BlackFridayAds.com.

Before: Newspapers, Radio, and TV.

After: Social news sites, Podcasts, and YouTube.

Before: Commuting to work by car, bus or train.

After: Telecommuting to work in your underwear.

Before: We got our news from the likes of Rather, Jennings and Brokaw.

After: We get our news from the likes of Stewart, Colbert, and Drudge.

Before: Children wrote letters to Santa Claus and mailed them to the North Pole.

After: Children send email to Santa Claus at northpole.com and track his progress Christmas Eve via satellites on NoradSanta.org

Before: Dear Diary, ....

After: Don't you read my blog?

If you have anything you'd like to add to the list, feel free to leave your contribution in the comments below.

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