• j4k3@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    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.

    • kiwifoxtrot@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      One thing I would not take for granted is the massive amount of information out there for repairing/ fixing things in your home. If you have an issue with your lawn mower, I guarantee that someone recorded a video of how to fix it step by step. It is absolutely mind boggling what we have at our finger tips.

    • HipHoboHarold@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      I definitely feel like people are looking at things through research tinted glasses. I would be lying if I said I didn’t think about that stuff.

      But at the same time I just got my associates degree while working full time. I didn’t have to go to classes because it was all online. I didn’t need to go spend hours at the library. I was able to type up my papers.

      If the majority of people don’t want things like social media, they can always stop. They can find a basic phone. “But they need it for work.” Sounds to me like work is only easier then. I’d rather have easier work.

      Edit: I will say though, sometimes I do actually miss some things. Like I wouldn’t mind renting a movie every now and then if I could afford it. It made getting a movie more special. But even then, the convenience of streaming is also hard to beat.

      • j4k3@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        The quality of streaming subscription content is as bad as old cable now. I do without that one. The newer trend of credentialed science communicators sharing white paper summaries and science news takes is really wonderful IMO.

        • RisingSwell@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Honestly with the quality of many YouTube creators, I don’t even watch proper shows and movies. There’s quality, in depth and long videos on basically every topic.

    • BlameThePeacock@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      I called my grandfather when I wanted to learn something. The library was the backup if he didn’t know. He was a well educated engineer, and my grandmother also had a university education and an excellent knowledge of literature.

      I wouldn’t mind killing off social media, but I have offline copies of Wikipedia for a reason. That shit is important.

        • fuzzzerd@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          How do you get an email address for a library that is actually monitored by a human that would respond?