How has the internet affected you as a person?

[Dangit2019]

The internet got me hooked on a show for little girls. So there's that.

In all seriousness, I probably wouldn't have realized how good I was with A/V and movie stuff if I wasn't exposed to the Plinkett Reviews and other online critics. Right now, I'm eyeballing film school at University of Texas, so here's hoping to that.

[sub]maybe I'll get a damn camera cutie mark[/sub]

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

I already hated humanity and was quite cynical, before I began using the internet as much as I do now. That's not really changed either. I did find some likeminded individuals and friends around the world. I started roleplaying, which quickly became my favorite pastime. I think the internet has just improved my life.

 

[MammothBlade]

On one hand I used to be pretty narrow-minded and ignorant, and vented on the internet all my half-baked explanations for all the world's ills, real or perceived. The things I've seen on various sites slowly opened my mind a lot. My views have changed accordingly. From pessimistic mean-world syndrome to a combination of optimism and paranoia.

I developed an immense morbid curiousity, and my stomach turned to iron. I became desensitised and very hard to disgust. In fact, I like exploring the deeply strange and morbid.

I have also found many new interests, from anime, to visual novels, to new games and literature. Lots of things I'd never even heard of before the internet.

Yet am I any wiser? It has also dug a deep existential void in my sense of self, or at least made me aware of it. I don't know who I am and every time it is asked, the internet only provides more questions and does not provide concrete answers.

And that's not to mention a few long-distance relationships with people on the internet. They only lasted for a few months at a time, if that.

 

[xDarc]

Well I'm 30 and about to break my personal record for longest relationship next year in March. That'll mark more than 2 years with my current girlfriend. That's only ever happened once before in my early 20s.

In my teen years in the late 90s, I would hook up with all sorts of random people met over yahoo chat and the like. I think I've had sex with like 300 people.

Couldn't have done it without the internet. The wild west days of the web are coming to a close soon. It's all bright and shiny and commercialized now. Sad days indeed.

 

[Kotaro]

Pretty much the entirety of the man I am today was formed by my experiences with the internet.

 

[FalloutJack]

The internet is just a tool. I believe what you WANT to ask me is how people ON IT affect me.

Frankly, it varies too much for an accurate read out. Well, there ARE over 6 billion of you.

 

[Berserker119]

I used to be cynical, but then when I realized how stupid it was thanks to the hoards of cynics on the internet, I became much happier.

 

[White-Death]

Me,quite similar to the OP.A cussing,pessimistic,cynical asshole.Thanks 4chan!

 

[Full]

It made me more open minded towards others opinions, and heightened my ability to put myself in others shoes. Being able to understand view points from all perspectives has overall changed my outlook on life for the better.

It's made me a little less sensitive when facing others thoughts about me and the things I like. Sure I still get offended by both logical and illogical arguments, but I tend to take those with stride now.

There are many bad and good things that have happened to me because of the web, but the positives outweigh the negatives.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

It certainly changed my sense of humour. I used to have a more classic and restrained wit as a kid, but the 'tubes sort of blew my mind's doors open. The sad thing is that it's turned me into a living repository for trivia that only fellow nerds and geeks care about.

 

[redhatman]

i was very shy, but the anonymity of the internet allowed me to talk to people, it gave me confidence.

 

[Myndnix]

Using the internet regularly has made me much more open-minded to other people in general. Other people's lifestyles, orientations, opinions, and so on. It's made me friendlier, in a sense. It's also taught me how to talk to people, as I've had to talk to many different people with many different problems, and learn how to talk to each of them.

 

[blah_ducks]

It reinforced my crippling insecurities.

Actually I think the internet created my crippling insecurities :\

 

[Heronblade]

Well, lets see, prior to becoming a regular visitor to internet media, I was an extremely shy introvert with unmitigated optimism. At present I'm still introverted, but no longer particularly shy. I've also somehow found my way to being a jaded cynic.

 

[cswurt]

I've used it as a substitute for human interaction.

 

[NathLines]

It changed me very positively. When I was younger, barely anybody played games and anime/manga was kind of looked down upon. Not to mention that I was kind of bullied for being short/Asian. When I could freely browse the internet at home, I soon found a fan-made MMO(all lies, the server could manage like 30 ppl max) based on an anime/game series I liked. The gameplay was shit, it was just grinding, so people mostly just talked to eachother. I found out that there are a lot of people out there who likes the same things as me.

I never quite understood how someone's innocence could be lost by browsing the net. Did you never watch/read/hear news? I heard of plenty of shit that way. It's impossible to hide news from a kid. I also think that I may have been "too" innocent. The only thing I cared about and the only thing I delved into the first 5 years or so were games and anime. I actually wasn't attracted to women until I turned 17, so never saw any nasty porn. Or any nasty video at all for that matter. I still haven't seen 2 girls/1 cup. Why would you watch it? You'd have to be braindead to not have heard what it's about, not to mention an idiot if you knew and watched it anyway. Unless you're into that stuff; I don't judge. Yeah, bullying kind of steeled me. If I feel any peer pressure nowadays, I just tell everyone to go fuck themselves and leave.

 

[Twilight_guy]

That's basically like asking me how technology of the past 20 years has affected me. The access to information and 'connected-ness' has redefined how the world works and thus how we, and I, work. It's an insurmountably complex question. I'll just respond to it by saying it changed THIS part of me... *gestures to all of me*

 

[Vault101]

I think a part of me has actually become a bit better!

I have had a lot of disappointments with people thanks to being on the internet. What with all the angry comments, the negativity, and the learning of how vicious people can actually be when they believe they are anonymous.
.

I agree...in that the internet (particually escapist) has both improved and ruined videogames for me...its why I will never play DA2 and being a Bioware fan I'm gonna see alot of hate

that said theres so mcuh info and knowelge on the internet, I feel Ive learned alot and have been able to interact with all kinds of peple on some level

badside is mabye it discourages me from being more social