flight paths discussion

What is it about Social Media and the Internet that has made it into a 'must have' so quickly ?

Has it all happened too fast, do you feel pushed onto the bleeding edge of technology?

Can you still walk outside the door and feel unconnected and free ?

These questions will take some pondering....

Yes to the second one I feel pushed and I resist.

I wont get a mobile phone, so at least I dont have that chain.

Re the question:Can you still walk outside the door and feel unconnected and free?

How about loosely connected and fairly free?
I too often feel disconnected and in fact, tend to want to nurture my fragile connections.
Freedom is a state of mind I know but an illusion nevertheless.

The test of my addiction will be my holiday of 18 days without Internet access, and I have yet to master my 'basic' phone for this purpose, let alone the e-mail functionality.

I think I am prepared to sacrifice volume (virtual friends) for quality, one of the reasons I like the group is the depth of some of the postings.

Oh I will miss your presence here. When do you leave?
And where are you going that has no internet cafe?

I sense that we could get even deeper, or higher, to go with the analogy.

unconnected and free, ah I just got it

There is a free of charge internet connection at the reading and the reference library but it will be a good test of my addiction if I can resist.

I would like to remain free of the wired world.

Like my reading, there are still a few weeks left for the idiot.

Free of the wired world...but with it there as a possibilty.
I am wondering how everybody made out in the storm, those of you in its flight path!

Still awaiting it !!

My internet connection went down for a week. I almost couldn't stand it . . . and then I spent part of that week being most disgusted with my craving for it.

I finally gave in to the cell phone a couple of years ago. I still have the old flip phone, but am sliding down that slippery slope to the touch screen world. To prevent too much disconnected socializing, I don't text on my phone.

When the phone and the internet are unavailable, I feel . . . alone.

This is bad isn't it?

I think this 'connection' issue has crept up on us, my parents are still unwired but have to rely on my sister and I for certain things, mainly travel related.

I guess its a risk we might not fully absorb and have little contingency planning for, being so connected.

this morning there were only a couple of messages for me from GR. It was interesting to me that I still feel connected with everybody by just looking at our member list, seeing what folks are reading now. If I want I can follow up on some loose threads and reviews, or work on my own reviews.

I like this, that the connection, once established, never really disappears but is charged by the feelings evoked by each individual. Its not all in the wires.

How could we have ever coped without the internet !

I guess that is my underlying point about the possible dependency.

exactly.

Think of all the data that could be lost in an instant

Think of all the information we are all trying to absorb and no matter how much time we spend, we'll never get to it all.

This, to me, is also one of the downsides of the internet. It's as though someone has set up a huge library in my home, and it contains the largest set of encyclopedias ever imagined. Without restraint, I could be lost forever inside that library.

This is why there is flight paths, to provide some kind of direction. Your own personal reading plan is your index and guide.

The internet has one great advantage as a cure for my selective (according to she who must be obeyed) memory, also helps with crosswords.

As most of us know, the path to recall is perhaps the real challenge.

she who must be obeyed . . .hmmmm. Hmmmmmm. . . I doubt it. ;)

The internet and social media and our apparent craving to remain connected, expose the 'hungry ghost' that many people are hosting in this 21st century life we live.

So.now we have a whole new level of disconnection as I am having driven home to me. For a Luddite, its especially humiliating to have to admit, I was very upset to not be able to get online, especially to be blocked from my GR, plus even FB I needed some info I knew was there, and I couldnt even phone the service provider because they keep office hours. It really sucks to have a big corporation controlling a good part of my life.
I will check in again, as I can, until the situation is resolved. In the meantime, dont forget me!

It's freezing, normally conditions I would revel in, but this is my GR connection. I can only seem to do 3 things before going in to Frozen mode.

Hoping for improved virtual weather and then I can get more photos uploaded.

Ice wrote: "It's freezing, normally conditions I would revel in, but this is my GR connection. I can only seem to do 3 things before going in to Frozen mode.

Hoping for improved virtual weather and then ..."

I'm back online in my own home now, but I think your comment is still apt, because its freezing in my room tonight, and my brain goes into overload after I do 3 or 4 things that require careful thought, frozen mode you could say. I become too aware of each individual key that must be correctly pressed to make up all the words in a sentence.

I'm going to check out your photos now.

Seemingly back in the virtual GR world .... famous last words probably,.

Did you get trapped in the real world? Be careful out there!

My crystal ball was working, I crashed out after the previous post !

Real Life is so intrusive !

Jim wrote: "Did you get trapped in the real world? Be careful out there!"

Ice wrote: "Real Life is so intrusive !"

Now here is an interesting challenge
Being a big fan of the real world (think pagan) I believe the internet is a trap and a way to control the masses who willingly (think sheep) fall in line....
The trap is of course the very real pleasure of really meeting kindred spirits mind to mind, as we have. We are real (yes I know there are poseurs out there but its pretty easy to weed them out) and really connecting, possibly on a more immmediately deeper level than if we had met in person, where we would be distracted by physicality.

I think about, am delighted provoked amused comforted and challenged, especially by my GRand Fp friends, who Really exist as part of my real life

I have to sadly admit that I am extremely socially isolated in Real Life due to a variety of circumstances. This internet trap serves as a critical connection for me during this chapter of my life.

I am a quasi-Luddite. I use the internet constantly, but have never used a smart phone. I don't "surf" the net, but use it as a research tool. And, Jim, I do my best to swim upstream and ignore the marketing elements; though Amazon's claws are deeply rooted in the consumer part of me.

Ice wrote: "I think this 'connection' issue has crept up on us....I guess its a risk ..."
In the book Im just getting into, Soul Work, the dedication to a chapter on our highest mission is a quote from phantom of the opera: let your soul take you to where you want to be.
a few pages laterin this chapter, there is another quote
from...you may never guess so I will tell....Neil Armstrong....whose alter ego is now calling me!

I would find myself wired in permanently if I bought a tablet or smartphone.

I suppose now we rarely longer talk (not chat) or write (not e-mail) the Telco's have got to capture us somehwow.

just wait till they start marketing the microchip they will install in your brain so you wont need to think!

I am so lucky to have a job where I have the opportunity to have at 2 or 3 wonderful conversations each shift.

smart machines terrify me.
Id rather just vacuum than have a relationship with my vacuum cleaner.

If you read the Otherland series from Tad Williams they already have invented the connection.

with vacuum cleaners?

between mind and matter

mind and matter turn out to be indivisible in living creatures
the mind matters...

My parents have just acquired a laptop and printer - what is the world coming to !!

Ice wrote: "My parents have just acquired a laptop and printer - what is the world coming to !!"

Soon - very soon - you'll be receiving corny jokes (in large fonts) that have been forwarded and re-forwarded to hundreds of Seniors. Enjoy!

But they are almost 80 !

All those Saga e-mails .........................

I think I would have recommended an Ipad for ease of use, but they have only graduated from a 50 year old typewriter.

Ice wrote: "But they are almost 80 !

All those Saga e-mails .........................

I think I would have recommended an Ipad for ease of use, but they have only graduated from a 50 year old typewriter."

Better to engage their minds with reading and writing and net-surfing than with passively watching television...

It might slow them down, over the summer they play golf nearly every day !

Ice wrote: "It might slow them down, over the summer they play golf nearly every day !"

I think Santa should bring them an iPad for the golf course...

When I was on holiday earlier in the year I did not really miss the Internet connection, however being without a laptop at home and thus access restricted to work, has me fretting. The day of a smartphone or ipad draws ever nearer.

I'm asking for an ipad.

you hear that, universe?

I have just done the same thing, Magdelanye: I just asked the universe for an ipad. I really think I "need" one (whatever that means).

Here's a thinker:

http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life...

Posted by Ian on PB's review of some sort of book about death...

Just now reread this whole thread and am in a much better mood than when I logged on.Ellie, did you get your ipad? I haven't got mine yet. Has everybody appointed their online executer?
It seems much happens in just a couple of days offline.
I have been having issues again with the computer, having a difficult time accessing plus so annoyed with all the revamping.It seems fine tonight, except that in trying to restore my menu bar, I have misplaced some other things. My antipathy towards the computer is growing again.

And even worse,I lost my keys while walking home from work on Wednesday. The ramifications were intense,time consuming and expensive.I still need to deal with my bike and replace keys.

So sorry Magdelanye-I find losing keys to be horribly stressful.

I resent how dependent I've become on the computer-especially since my skill with/knowledge lags far behind this dependence.

I am extremely anxious today-to the point that it actually hurts. My answer? You guessed it (probably): I'm going to read. Try to finish The Recognitions.

The landlord is coming over & my head races to worst case scenarios as I try to remain calm and confident on the surface for the sake of the children.

Must be something in the air... my pc was attacked by a malware scam on Wednesday and I won't get it back until monday night, maybe. I've discovered the depths of my dependence as i try to use my smart phone instead, pecking out my words with my too fat index finger... grrrr!!!!

Thanks for your empathy, Ellie and Jim.
Thats dreadful about your computer Jim,did they get into your files? A malware scam...like what cost me my hotmail> :-(

Right now I am a bit edgy because things don't seem to be functioning as they should. It has something to do with google, who took over my home page. And facebook is getting aggressive. I have to sign in to GR now, and am given 3 options: the pushy fb, twitter! or google. It irks me.

Hope things with your landlord went well Ellie....?
Hope this posts

I am irked too Magdelanye. Although I'm also lazy. I use FB to sign in to everything-soon, I won't remember my passwords.

The landlord was not happy but I don't think we'll be evicted.

I live with such fear of eviction (I've been homeless with the kids so it's not totally irrational) and losing my job (ditto) but such a waste of precious time. I get angry with myself (although that of course just wastes more time).

But I am thrilled that I finished The Recognitions today.

An image: homeless but with some great literary text.

Are my priority totally screwed or magnificently in order?

At least I can laugh. A little. :/

Bravo and congratulations dear Ellie....:-$

Thanks Magdelanye: I was just feeling like the worst whiner ever!