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genxlib

(6,088 posts)

19. I would say that it has been a roller coaster

Reply to indusurb (Original post)

Fri Dec 19, 2025, 01:03 PM

Dec 19

Up until a certain point in time I would say the technology definitely improved our lives.

But I think there was an inflection point where the good things it brought us leveled out while the bad things took off.

It feels like phones, streaming, internet, social media, etc. have all peaked and have just become a way to exploit us for eyeballs, data and subscriptions. In some cases the delivered value leveled off but in some cases it has outright declined. It has even been given a name (Enshittification) as technology gets worse to maximize monetized ROI to the tech giants.

All in all, I think the curve peaked about 10 years ago. You could move that needle about 5years plus or minus in either direction and I think it probably does vary among the various types of tech. But somewhere along that time frame, I think we tipped over from being users to being cannon fodder.

Having said that, not sure I would want to roll it backwards. But I could definitely see~2015 as a peak.

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A question, for those old enough to remember and make the the comparison [View all] indusurb Dec 19 OP

I wish I'd had the Internet when I was in college - I could have learned so much, Ocelot II Dec 19 #1

The trolling and bullying can be limited, and in the past were often limited, by effective human highplainsdem Dec 19 #14

New digital age technologies like the internet and AI anciano Dec 19 #2

It's a mixed bag bucolic_frolic Dec 19 #3

It's not a "one size fits all" TheProle Dec 19 #4

Humankind cannot keep up with it, it appears. Boomerproud Dec 19 #5

Well, here rzemanfl Dec 19 #6

as of this writing, there seem to be at least 3 of us. ret5hd Dec 19 #7

A Golden Age until the Internet was monitized Bobstandard Dec 19 #8

As We Age snowybirdie Dec 19 #9

Isaac Asimov markie Dec 19 #10

A very wise man, he was. MineralMan Dec 19 #17

Generative AI is definitely doing more harm than good. Social media platforms designed to addict users highplainsdem Dec 19 #11

Technology "wants" to be liberative, but is too often a tool of oligarchy, control and war. usonian Dec 19 #12

It's hard to say. I remember when the Internet first came to be, everyone assumed since we would have access Vinca Dec 19 #13

I saw something the orher day that absolutely amazing PCB66 Dec 19 #15

It's important to separate kids from smartphones, especially at school. See this: highplainsdem Dec 19 #18

Lunchbreak at work is people looking at their phones, not interacting. Boomerproud Dec 19 #22

As someone who is disabled and cannot drive synni Dec 19 #16

That aspect of the internet is good. But it's a very small part of internet traffic and time spent online highplainsdem Dec 19 #21

I would say that it has been a roller coaster genxlib Dec 19 #19

I hate that people are not present to what is going on around them. milestogo Dec 19 #20

Social media (while it has some very good qualities) will probably be bluestarone Dec 19 #23

I consider the digital age a blessing and a boon. I'm Ilsa Dec 19 #24

Smart people got better. Stupid people got worse. Iggo Dec 19 #25

I don't think we're better off. Scrivener7 Dec 19 #26

I've been on the internet since the late 'seventies, starting as a university undergraduate. hunter Dec 19 #27

Educator, born in '71. I think we jumped the shark once GPV Dec 19 #28

The Internet is a wonderful servant and a terrible master Fichefinder Dec 19 #29