Do We Really Need The Internet?

by: Jim Edwards

(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved  http://www.thenetreporter.com  =====================================  As someone who earns their living entirely online, I  considered myself the last person I ever thought would ask  the question, "Do we really need the Internet?"  However, the extended power outage of almost 4 days, ongoing  loss of Internet access, combined with many other events  surrounding the recent Hurricane Isabel caused me to  reassess my priorities.  When "high-tech" business gets into a head-on collision with  a natural or man-made disaster, we all need to ask, "Do we  really need the Internet?"  Well, when you're in line for 3 hours to get gas so you can  siphon the tank to run your father-in-law's generator in  order to save $1,000 worth of food in three freezers - you  don't need the Internet, you need the expectation that  you'll find gas.  When you're driving around for 2 hours trying to find ice so  you can have a cold drink and make your family more  comfortable on a 90+ degree day - you don't need the  Internet, you need patience and a sense of humor.  When a good friend of yours falls 30 feet off a ladder while  helping his neighbors cut a tree off their house, fractures  his back and neck, punctures a lung and must be airlifted to  the hospital in critical condition - you don't need the  Internet, you need faith he'll be okay!  When the hurricane's destruction threatens to ruin the  surprise 50th wedding anniversary party you've been planning  for over a year for your parents - you don't need the  Internet! You improvise and set up a human communication  network that spreads the word to dozens of people who still  show up and throw a party that creates memories that will  last a lifetime!  When you can't turn on your computer to get work done, you  can still grab a good old-fashioned pen and legal pad and  get more work done in the peace and quiet without phones,  fax or email to distract you than you could ever get done  when things get back to "normal."  It struck me last night as I struggled to get my high-speed  Internet connection going again that I was much more  stressed over getting a stupid piece of hardware to function  than I was over driving 50+ miles to find gas just two days  before!  In fact, looking back, I was more proud of the fact that on  Saturday I found what was probably the last cold six pack of  beer in all of Southeastern Virginia than I was about my  last successful online product launch!  And after spending many days and nights in the dark, I  realized that the Internet represents the ultimate  convenience, but it's also the ultimate business risk  because so much can happen to shut the Internet down or  prevent you from accessing it.  If recent events taught me anything, they taught me these  three truths about life:  1. Life is fragile and valuable - don't take it for granted.  2. Nothing is more important than the safety and well-being  of family and friends. Sometimes it takes a calamity to  remind us.  3. Anyone who depends on the Internet for their entire  livelihood should seek to diversify how they make their  money - just in case the Internet disappears one day when  you least expect it!  About the author: Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the  co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how  to use fr-e articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted  visitors to your website or affiliate links...  Simple "Traffic Machine" brings Thousands of NEW visitors to  your website for weeks, even months... without spending a  dime on advertising! ==> "Turn Words Into  Traffic"  Circulated by Article Emporium