Ask Lemmy

I always viewed the Internet as a kind of alternate reality growing up. But, then that started to change once "social networks" started taking off and all the normies (as some people refer to it now) started using it. Then it kind of started becoming almost "realer" than IRL, with algos optimized to manipulate people, and sophisticated propaganda campaigns. About 5 years ago, I noticed politicians started using language taken from the "gamergate" discourse. Now, the US admin is transparently trying to control discourse on the largest platforms, and official government institutions are poorly shit-posting.

So, yeah, it's kinda disheartening how one of the greatest communication tools has turned into a tool for control. Though, in hindsight, I guess I should've seen this coming, even from fiction created a century ago. I think I remember some person saying that the Nazi regime wouldn't have been possible without the invention of the radio.

No, not "off" the internet.

Off the big corporate-driven soulless sites, maybe. Smaller discussion groups/forums, dedicated services, etc. still works. It's less tedious, less eating your brain.

Basically, going back to internet before central planetary services that feed on everyone being miserable.

Nope. Just about all the good things in my life, arrive through the intertubes. My anime, games, hentai, history videos, they are only really practical because of the internet.

The only pleasure I have outside the internet is food. And honestly, eating for pleasure is far more expensive than a good game. For $30, I can have at least a month of amusement. A good meal? Just a day of contentment.

Maybe I would feel differently if I could spend money without feeling anxiety...but meatbag activities like visiting third places, fills me with fiscal dread. I cannot leave my room often, else I risk poverty finally overtaking me.

Not at all. Look at this beautiful corner we have made here.

No. I might use it less often, but it's also a more healthy relationship instead of what tech bros wanted.

I'll tell you right now: many of those old corners of the internet... Are still there. A lot aren't, but a lot still are. Seek them out, it's worth it.

you inspired me to check out ytmnd. fucking front page has an epstein contest.

i'm not entirely sure if i was on a tour of an active particle accelerator if i wouldn't take a dive just to try to get us all on a different universe. godsdamned weasels

I believe that life on the internet will reside in private, invite only communities. Public spaces will only get worse and worse.

Lemmy is a salvation spot for me, been an internet denizen since before I was a teen, it has been sad to see it slide into popularity contest/mass consumerism garbage. But I enjoy my Minecraft videos I've been watching for over a decade and getting to chat about homelab/Linux stuff as an alternative.

Its not like the real world (in the us at least) is doing any better lmao

I keep a book on my person at all times now. Instead of mindlessly grabbing my phone (internet propaganda portal), I'll grab the book instead. Been doing it about six months now, I like it a lot. I still havnt finished a book, I jump from one to the other very often, but I'm reading much more.

Its okay to sign off. I had a panic attack two weeks ago, and basically had to sign off for a time. I'm still keeping distance from the internet though. Renewing my love of reading has been a serious positive though.

Yup, I've gotten much more into the smolweb, niche websites and the dark web, where some parts still feel like a place I can breathe.

I've given up on the super-corporate side of the Internet.

99% of my Internet use is Mastodon and Lemmy, both of which don't really represent "the Internet". I sail the high seas occasionally to help meet my other needs.

Yes, multiplayer gaming is toxic as hell. If I'm doing that, I have chat turned off, but mostly I've managed to finagle the Internet into my own personal, cozy little Hobbiton derivative, so it doesn't feel quite so toxic to me as it might to the population at large.

Just don't read news. News push negative narrative because it creates strong emotional reactions and people engaged. Problem is even here on Lemmy, people share and discuss these toxic news instead of writing their own view of it that is more modest and objective.

AI is the thing thats close to pushing me off. I've loved it less and less every day since it turned into a popularity contest, but it still had a lot of great stuff. Now its not even people pretending to be something they're not, its a computer program pretending to be somebody pretending to be somebody theyre not in the vain hopes that you'll LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE.

I'm not talented or special-skilled or super-interested enough in anything to warrant joining any niche forums. This right here is the last of my Internet I think. Once Lemmy is overrun by thots and bots I might be done.

Set up your own website if you haven't already, the indie web/smallnet/etc movement lately has been really cool to see and has made the internet fun again for me. Neocities is a great place to start if you need simple hosting, completely free and without ads

I'm ready to give up on most things.

The Internet sucks now. There's just not "things" on it anymore. When I was a teenager, there was always something new and interesting to do online. Modern Internet is social media, streaming, and shopping. It's just not the same.

The Internet as a whole isn't the problem. Specific sites are. Steer clear from those sites, and you'll be just fine. Take notice of which sites and services result in negative emotions, and find alternatives to those places.

I almost feel the same, too much USA doomnews about Trump and Epstein. Here, people break rules too, just to spam USA news 24/7.
My solution to combat this, was to block keywords(Lemmy) and access website I only need(forums, websites etc).

I am not giving up on the internet, but I have slowed down quite a lot in the past 5 years. I check very few sites anymore, I no longer game on multiplayer. In fact, I was even content being on a 50MBps internet plan. But, my ISP stupidly got rid of that plan so I find 100MBps too much for someone who isn't going to utilize all of its speed. I don't need anything beyond 100MB anyways.

Been online for over three decades, the internet has helped me in many ways, but it also has made me feel the worst of ways. Like having incredulous bouts of depression that yearns for yesteryear's internet because today's internet is all noise. It's just noise and nothing truly innovative has been made that is interesting. Everything that gets made, all serve means to increase advantages for those that cause problems.

If it hasn't happened already yet but I predict within the next 5 years, all I'm going to care about is just streaming and e-mail checking. I'll just join the old crowd.

Good luck! Come back and let the rest of us know what it's like out there.