Most adults remember what life was like before the Internet, but now that we have had it for a while it’s hard not to have it. You know this to be true when your Wi-fi suddenly goes out, or you’re somewhere without a signal. It’s as if someone cut off one of your appendages.
How did we get along without it before? There was no GPS; we had bulky road maps. We didn’t have Pinterest to find recipes, but instead, we had dozens of cookbooks cluttering our kitchen. And finding information on specific topics? You went to the library and shuffled through the card catalog and the Dewey decimal system.
We are a changed world because of the invention of the Internet, and it’s easy to forget how far we’ve come. Here’s a glimpse of some amazing changes that have happened as a result.
If someone told us in the 80’s that we could sit in our pajamas, avoid the crowds, and Christmas shop right in our living rooms, we would’ve thought they were crazy. Today, more than 80% of the population have used the Internet to shop online, and 75-80% of teenagers shop online regularly.
After the Internet was introduced, the postal service saw a severe decrease in personal mail and gained the term “Snail Mail.” People stopped sending letters and postcards and switched to sending emails and instant messages instead. With the introduction of social media, people keep better contact with friends and family. In fact, high school reunions have lower attendance than ever before. We already know about each other because finding out about people on social media is so easy.
Before the Internet, we waited in line at the bank. Pay day Fridays were a terrible time to cash your checks because everyone went TO the bank. Now we have handy apps to manage bank accounts. Automated bill pay makes it so you never have to worry about delivering payments again to your utility, mortgage or phone company. Carrying cash is not as common since money transfers are online and the plastic card is king.
Internet dating quickly sparked a revolution for single people. Setting up a dating profile could lead to a number of inquiries and dates. People who never would have connected before because their paths would never have crossed were suddenly introduced with a couple of clicks of a mouse.
Say goodbye to Sam Goody and all our favorite music stores. Streaming music and video is one of the most popular things to do online. iTunes, YouTube, Netflix, Pandora, and many more companies made pouring over bins and shelves for entertainment a thing of the past. Streaming has made entertainment simple, no matter where you are.
The Internet has revolutionized our culture. Anthem Broadband is proud to be a part of that change and provide you with a way to stay connected and in touch with current trends. Contact us to get set up today!