Due to various circumstances totally of his doing, my brother is banned from using any Internet-connected devices. That is surprisingly difficult these days because many things more than just smartphones and computers connect to the Internet. For example, my brother had to switch television units with my parents’ Samsung because it’s old enough to lack any smart capabilities. What about gaming consoles? Those have been connecting to the Internet since the PlayStation 3 era. Therefore my brother is relegated to the PS2’s 480P experience.
As standard, computer of any sort is not allowed. Feel the urge to check twitter? Spend a few hours into a Youtube rabbit hole? Too bad. Impossible. My brother’s phone is the flip kind aimed at retired seniors that can only do phone calls and text messages. For someone who grew up in the age of the Internet, this situation must be tough. At least I’m old enough to have some training. I didn’t get decently fast Internet until high school; my first smartphone happened during the fourth year of college!
So I’d like to think I can go back to monk mode without too much agony. A few years back I actually went a whole week without my iPhone. I was definitely forced to be present and notice my surroundings more. There wasn’t a tiny screen to distract me constantly. No podcasts or music to listen to, either.
If I were my brother, now would be the golden opportunity to hit the books hard. Read anything and everything that interests me. Perhaps learn a foreign language, or a musical instrument. I currently do all of that (Korean and the piano, respectively) without being banned from the Internet, but I’m wired differently. Taking the enticing options offered by Internet away, what else is there for my brother to do? For his sake I hope he picks up a regular exercise habit, too.
What would you do if you suddenly lost complete access to the Internet for a long period of months?
Is that a Christmas tree?