What is the Internet?

Trying to define the internet is not something I often do. Although I love the internet and it’s a valuable thing that everyone should appreciate, since it lacks a ‘physical’ presence I generally avoid thinking too hard about how it works. Most people getting to know me are surprised when I tell them I was in the STEM track at my high school, which is understandable since now I’m a historic preservation major and don’t really do too much with anything new. So thinking about technology and the internet and what it is is something I’ve done before, but never got too good at. I know the internet is both physical and digital, which was well explained in Chapter 2 of Small Pieces Loosely Joined. Without the existence of physical things like servers and the power supplies of internet service providers, the internet wouldn’t function. But the internet also isn’t just its physical components, it exists outside of that physical level and is also all of the data that exists within it. There is just one internet, with a lot of connections making up the entire thing. I think the internet is becoming more accessible and integrated into our lives, especially with COVID. Even shopping in grocery stores has moved online to the extent that pick up times are usually filled days ahead. The internet has never really scared me. I had it introduced early enough in my life that I am used to it, that being said it wasn’t the only thing I had in my life and I do get concerned by the extent children today are on the internet. My 10 year old cousin practically lives on her tablet and laptop. I think the internet is a useful thing, but one that requires caution and education.