My Last Post (????)

First it was my Facebook page, then it was my smart phone, and now it's the Internet

I read in the latest AARP magazine, if you want a job you need a presence on the Internet. You need a Facebook account, Twitter account, Linked in account. etc. If you don't have a presence, your resume will likely be tossed.

Say what? I can understand wanting employees to be competent in the use of a computer, and adept at navigating the internet, but requiring someone be connected to one or more of the myriad of social media networks. That's just not right!

The use of the internet has grown too far, expanding far beyond its original intent, which was to ensure an unbroken line of communication during times of war, and morphing into something far more sinister. Some might even consider dangerous.

The internet has managed to integrate itself into the very fabric of our society, and is being used by all the worlds governments and large corporations, to gather information about all of us with the sole intent, of controlling and influencing every aspect of our daily lives.

I don't see any good coming from that, and it's something I don't want to be a part of. I've never been a conspiracy theorist, but the more I learn about the capabilities of the Internet, and the dangers to our privacy, the more I find myself heading down that road.

The one problem I see is quitting the Internet is a lot easier said than done. Like so many others, I've let it become an integral part of my life. I use the Internet to communicate. I use it to pay my bills, and keep track of my finances. I use it to shop. I even use it to spill my guts to the world. Plus it is a great source of medical information, which in my condition is important.

Besides, it's not just the internet the government, and others, can use to keep track of you. There's also your cell phone, and even your TV viewing habits, among other things.

So while all my efforts may end up proving fruitless, and largely symbolic, I am of the opinion any effort to reduce your Internet footprint is a worth while one.

How I achieve that goal, I will largely make up as I go along, but for starters, no more Linkedin, Twitter or other social media accounts, and I plan on getting rid of most of the email subscriptions I have. My blog will stay, who knows maybe someone will gain some useful information from it some day. I will just be a lot more cautious what I post.