Social Question

rebbel's avatar

Interwhat?? Do you know people that have no idea what Internet is?

Asked by rebbel (35549points) November 17th, 2011

Seventy three percent of the Dutch are on Internet on a daily basis.
And I believe 90% of households are connected to it.
That leaves quite a big bunch of people that are not on daily and also about ten percent that has no Internet at all.
A colleague sixty-ish years of age of mine, today while we were having lunch, appeared to be pretty surprised to hear that you can listen online radio on the computer—he has Internet since some months and is learning how to use it (and the computer).
His reaction amazed me.
Do you have people in your social environment that are oblivious to the fact that there is such thing as Internet?

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11 Answers

gailcalled's avatar

MY best friend up the road takes pride in not being connected, wired, plugged in or knowledgeable. He calls me several times a day in order to ask me to look up local movies, book reviews, financial information and recipes.

Male's avatar

I think those people may actually live better lives….going outdoors and finding other activities instead of wasting away in front of the computer. Call my statement farfetched, but whatever.

bongo's avatar

My 84year old grandmother used to email me on a regular basis, she needed a slow computer so that things didn’t happen too quickly and needed pretty much everything on the desktop but she could work the internet pretty well. I don’t know anyone in the western world who hasn’t ever been on the internet but I do know a few people who don’t have it in their homes, simply due to the costs involved and the need to sign up to a minimum of 12 months which may not be possible if you are moving around a lot. It is vital to be able to use the internet well to get a degree in anything nowadays. Without a good level of computer literacy I simply would have failed my degree in Marine Biology. Scary how quickly the world is changing. Simply ignoring the internet and being able to use a computer well is not an option anymore if you wish to continue into higher education.

XOIIO's avatar

@gailcalled See that guy has nothing to be proud of. He still uses the internet indirectly, so there is no differed.

JilltheTooth's avatar

For a lot of older people and I’ll include myself, as I grew up without personal computing of any sort the internet is seen as a convenience, not a necessity. My 87 year old mother understands that it exists, but doesn’t own a computer, nor does she care to, and in fact does not quite trust information from the internet. I use it a lot, but if it went down tomorrow I’d miss the convenience, I’d miss my Jellies and my FB friends, and go merrily on my way. I still use a phone book, too.

SavoirFaire's avatar

Some of my older professors can only use computers for essential tasks, and even then there is at least one who makes the department secretary do it for him. I’m not sure they all quite understand the difference between a program that runs on their computer and a site they access through the internet, either. One calls all portable devices (cellphones, iPods, etc.) “flip-flops.” I think this is because of flip phones, but I’m not sure.

JilltheTooth's avatar

Some of the older ones have no trouble. My 62 year old sister is a true technophile and very adept at all this. I am impressed by and in awe of her abilities and innate understanding of the stuff. I use my smartphone to play a cute frog game.

marinelife's avatar

I remember very well what it was like not to be connected. If you don’t have it, you don’t miss it. I would hate to give it up now though.

ucme's avatar

I overheard two old dears talking recently, they both seemed convinced broadband was something girls put in their hair….bless.

anartist's avatar

My parents didn’t but they are gone now. My father sent his one and only email at my coaching and my sister replied with a picture of her house.

ETpro's avatar

There was George W. Bush’s the Internets speech..

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