What is the internet?

This is probably the most difficult easy question ever asked — because although theoretically, there is one definition, there are hundreds, if not millions, of different opinions on it.

Merriam-Webster defines the internet as, “an electronic communications network that connects computer networks and organizational computer facilities around the world — used with the except when being used attributively.” However to me, it is — sadly — my life.

I would say about 80% of my daily activities are facilitated online. Yeah, I’m embarrassed by it, but if you take a step back, you will probably realize the same thing.

The music I play is done through Spotify.

In my free time I surf Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Tiktok.

ALL of my classes are run online… not one is in person, and only two of them have Zoom calls.

I use Google Maps to get literally everywhere around UMW because I’m not from Virginia.

Even when I read I do it on my phone, simply because the E-book is cheaper than the hard copy.

And these are only the first few areas I could think of — not to mention tracking my sleep schedule, ordering meals, planning out my weeks, checking how much money I have in my account, etc.

So it isn’t so much a question of “Where is the internet?”, it’s “Where isn’t the internet?”

In all honesty if you can think of something you can probably find it on the internet. According to a survey done in October of 2020, 59% of the global population uses the internet (4.66 billion). With that number, it is unlikely you won’t be able to find at least one thing relating to whatever you are looking for. And with that number (that is forever evolving as the internet becomes even more of a lifeline throughout the world), the internet is forever alive and breathing. Someone, somewhere, is constantly publishing something — allowing the internet to continue to advance into a well developed machine. Or maybe not even a machine, but almost like us — like a person.

I know, I know, it is a scary thought to think that the internet has just as much power as we do. We like to think that we have power over it… but it has just as much power over us, if not more. If the internet were to go down, could I survive? Yes. Would it be easy? No. Not at all. I would need to adapt my entire way of living. I would need to purchase a map to get around, not be able to listen to my favorite artists, and you would most certainly watch me stop eating out because I am unable to mobile order (and with COVID that is how a lot of businesses are operating).

Are any of the consequences necessarily bad? No. However, the loss of convenience would be somewhat annoying at first and I would struggle a little bit.

This sudden loss does in fact scare me, but I know eventually everything will be fine. But don’t get me wrong, I still love the internet. I grew up with it. It developed with me. I love all of the benefits it provides for me. But the major lesson I’ve learned over the past few years, and as it’s become more of a necessity in my day-to-day life, is that the internet is good as long as you stay in control of it, and do not let it control you.