Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

General Discussion

indusurb

(297 posts) Fri Dec 19, 2025, 10:58 AM Friday

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

Are we better off as a society with the advent of the digital age, including AI, or not. The coming of the digital age brought many positives, and many negatives. Do the positives outweigh the negatives. For this comparison I'm placing the beginning of the digital age as the late '80's-early '90's, when we saw the beginning of widespread PC use and the internet. I know that it can be said the digital age begain earlier, but I'm looking at widespread adaptation by the public, not just the limited use by academia and large corporations.

Your thoughts?

29 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

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

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

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

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

It's a mixed bag bucolic_frolic Friday #3

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

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

Well, here rzemanfl Friday #6

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

A Golden Age until the Internet was monitized Bobstandard Friday #8

As We Age snowybirdie Friday #9

Isaac Asimov markie Friday #10

A very wise man, he was. MineralMan Friday #17

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

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

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

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

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

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

As someone who is disabled and cannot drive synni Friday #16

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

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

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

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

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

Smart people got better. Stupid people got worse. Iggo Friday #25

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

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

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

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