student life

How the internet has become essential to our lives

internet browsing
Written by Nigel Simpkins

With every passing year, internet connectivity has become increasingly essential to our daily lives. For anyone in a developed country who, for whatever reason, is unable or unwilling to go online, performing everyday tasks and participating in society presents a significant challenge. The internet was once an optional extra that you could take or leave. Now, for most of us, it has become indispensable.

Communication

The most obvious way that we use the internet is to stay in touch. Alongside text messaging, email has become our default communication method, superseding traditional phone calls, letter writing, and even to some degree face-to-face meetings. When you also consider social media, from Facebook to TikTok, as well as instant messaging, Skype and Zoom, it’s clear that without the internet, you’re essentially considered uncontactable.

News and entertainment

Where once we might have passively put up with whatever happened to be on the television or radio for entertainment, read a book or newspaper, or cracked open a pack of cards, now the internet is our one-stop-shop for a near-infinite choice of options. Whether we’re streaming movies and shows, putting together a personal music playlist on Spotify or YouTube, or reading articles online and downloading a new novel to our Kindle, without the internet, we would be hopelessly bored.

Online gaming is also massively popular, from the latest video games to modern updates of traditional casino games and slot machines. The variety of options available can be seen at We Rate Slots, and the convenience and security have attracted many people who wouldn’t normally go to a regular casino. Meanwhile, rolling news sites have largely replaced daily papers, which are instantly out of date by comparison.

Buying and selling

Shopping online means more choice, better prices and less pressure, as we browse in our own time from the comfort of our own homes. However, the internet has let us all become sellers, advertising our unwanted items worldwide or setting up an online shop of our own to sell work we’ve created. If you run a retail business, then having an online presence is essential, even if you only use it to tell people where your brick-and-mortar shop is and when it’s open.

Work and education

Most jobs and education courses will require you to be able to access the internet, either in the office/classroom or at home. The internet has become an essential business tool, for research, marketing, working on shared documents, bookkeeping, and more. In education, it’s a vital resource for research, giving access to online libraries, archives, encyclopaedias and galleries, as well as webinars and online lectures and tutorials.

Many of us will be required to submit work and receive feedback online. The internet has made working and learning more efficient. Doing either without it would feel like you had one hand tied behind your back.

Obligations

From online banking to filling in forms and paying taxes, the internet allows us to fulfil our obligations as citizens. Online connectivity has made it easier for more people to participate fully in society, but if you’re not connected, then you risk being excluded. Like it or not, the internet is now an essential resource for everyone.