Back to Basics

"The Internet is bad," said the voice in my head as I scrambled to the door. So much for leaving early. This scene was playing out too many times now: I was late again because I let myself get sucked into cyberspace. If I wasn't careful, the computer was going to tarnish my on-time reputation.

The morning started OK. I had no pressing deadlines and had been tackling the pile of unaddressed paper and details and mini-tasks that had been crowding my desk space for far too long.

Then I launched my browser to look up an event date. That lead me to another Website which I had to read. While connected, I thought I'd quickly check my email after which I found myself drafting an indepth reply. Suddenly "plenty of time" became "Oh shit, I'm late."

Other Bad Things

Waiting for the traffic light to change, I tapped my finger madly on the steering wheel. I thought about the World Wide Web and the voice's declaration. What other things in life had I labeled as bad?

Drugs are bad.

Lying stinks.

Greed is awful.

Fast food is terrible.

The signal changed from red to green and my frustration redirected to the clock. Why was it moving so damn fast?

I arrived to the meeting with one minute to spare. Instead of portraying confidence and poise, I flew in rushed and frustrated. After it was over, I walked out as if I was a women with a hangover, pledging never to drink again.

{This light trail from a sparkler represents my brain during frenzied internet use.]


A Change in Direction

I thought about my earlier analogy as I breezed through every light on my way back home. The clock was moving at the same old speed; only my perspective had changed.

It was time to recognize that the Internet is engrained in a life which I control. Likewise are drugs. They aren't bad; they save lives. It's their abuse that's bad.

Or like wine: it will not give me a hangover if I don't drink too much.

It's all about my choices as I partake in life's experience. I have the power to make good decisions online, just as I do about lying, greed, and fast food, offline.

For instance:

• Honesty and Authenticity. Sometimes it requires courage to remain true to yourself, but lying can hurt the liar more than the fool being betrayed. Whether anonymously hiding behind a computer screen or standing on a public stage, I must avoid any temptation to lie or tell a half-truth because doing otherwise will destroy my credibility.

• Contentment. With so much at our fingertips, it can be hard to recognize when information collection becomes information gluttony. Greed is a desire for more even though there is already enough, and it can apply to details and social connections just as it does money. Where in the past a phone call from a friend or an intriguing new discovery would sustain me for an entire day, now I want a new message in my inbox every minute. However, contemplation and reflection breeds contentment better than excessive interruptions ever could.

• Deliberateness. Like fast food, shoving in empty calories does nothing to nourish the body. When I skim over a multitude of Web pages, I never focus on actually reading and retaining any of it. When I speed through all my emails at once, I neglect to carefully read what the senders wrote. When I try to investigate every link and lead, I lose track. It is when I slow down that I can truly ingest the information.

[A multi-course breakfast eaten during vacation serves an example of the fulfilled feeling that can come from a good, slow meal.]

My New Declaration

Back at home, I logged on with a fresh attitude. I am a user. I must prevent addiction. I must remain authentic. I must know when I've had enough. I must avoid junk and senseless temptation. And I must respect the clock and the day's goals.

Only then can I say, "the Internet is good." The computer was never going to be responsible for my success or my reputation anyway. I was.

How do you keep your computer under control?