Can someone in their 50s exist with no internet?

[Bad80sPerm]

This. I don’t have home broadband so no laptop.

i could go to having just TV/Radio etc as my entertainment

Would you find if difficult?

Having internet today is like having a phone 40 years ago. It’s a basic need that should exist in every household.

If you have an interest in posting on the likes of MN then presumably you see the value of online communication to an extent?
I can imagine you could live without it if you chose to. We managed fine before it existed.

Physically, things like shopping. The effort and time it takes to go out and look at things and choose them then buy them, then lug them home if they're heavy; it's a lot. Compared to just clicking a few buttons from the comfort of your home and having a delivery. No transport issues, no dealing with crowds of strangers etc.

But if you are physically ok with that then I guess it's fine. People might not communicate as much though. As WhatsApp, social media etc has become the norm rather than calling people for lengthy chats. In fact I think you can't have a landline either without internet.

Yep. I’m in Australia and landlines are connected to the internet now. If internet or power goes down, no landline. Who thought that was a good idea?

I’ve lived with no at home internet and laptop etc (in my mid 30s) but still had smart phone with internet for the practicalities

Same.

I agree. I expect similar conversations were had in the caves when writing was invented. ‘Why do we need to make these marks, what’s wrong with just telling the information through speech?’
I suppose it’s horses for courses though. I remember life before the internet and for me (72) life is so much easier with it. Uber anyone?

People who drive can't imagine how people who don't drive survive life. You may think that life is harder but you don't miss what you never had.
I couldn't make it through my day without my phone and I didn't get online properly until 10 years ago - I'm 53.

I'm about to give up sky and broadband. I'd let you know how it goes but.....lol

Yes - so I’m on internet atm i just meant as future possibility

No. Loads of things are harder, more expensive or not even possible.

A few examples from my week:

Renewed passport online - it costs a fair amount more now to do non online. mine was overseas renew and I would have to fly back to uk to go to uk post office to do paperwork if I wanted non online, as in country embassy no longer does passports ( as it’s all online)

My son’s nursery communication is all via app now. No paperwork given. So you would never know what’s going on. They have a phone but it’s only reachable 12-12.30. They expect you to inform of that day absence, illness or questions via app.

All our sports clubs, activities, members stuff is via WhatsApp or email. In the past you would get an annual calendar of events posted, but now , changes happen and updates sent each week. Ie Ds football was moved from Fri 4pm to Mon 4.30pm, you wouldn’t be called personally with that as it’s a group message to loads of people

All our utility bills are paper free now.

We own small b and b, we don’t even reveal our phone number now. It’s too inconvenient people calling too late at night or when I’m busy. I can’t check calendar of availability when I’m driving or if I’m in the middle of something else. So it’s far easier guests email with any enquiries, then I can read question properly when at laptop and actual answer with information. Only once people have booked do they get contact number for emergencies. so you 100% couldn’t book without internet

My parents pretend they don’t need internet. They do, they just have to ask everyone else constantly to do everything for them

I think mostly you could, though things like banking are now designed to not have you walk into a building! I think for me the biggest thing would be eg storm warnings etc, the storm took out our broadband and electricity for a few days and we couldn’t leave the house and get hold of a newspaper for three of them and had no idea if there were new warnings or anything

I know someone who has a calls only phone and no tv or internet -he has a partner and they read books, watch dvds ,listen to music.

In 30 years there won’t be many people who would have any memory of pre internet life.

Try 50 or 60 I was born in 1976 no internet for the first 20 years of my life, didn't need it as such until the 2010s when I was in my 30s. DGM lived to 96 so I have a fair chance of being around in 45 years and there are those younger than me who will remember too.

Why don't you try it for a week, see how you get on and report back? It would be really interesting to find out just how many things would be made harder with no Internet.

My parents wouldn’t know where to start. They spend hours on the phone sorting things out. Just recently I saved them a small fortune going online to compare car insurance for them. Imagine having to ring every insurance company in the phone book to find the cheapest quote then go through the whole raft of questions, it would take days. My sister and I are happy to do things like that for them of course, but for those that don’t have family support it would be very difficult, and it will only get worse. I’ll never understand people my age (50s) who proudly declare that they don’t do technology.

The question of why you would choose to would be more apposite than whether it can be done, because obviously it can.

Probably if they wanted to put up with just a phone, I couldn't because I do most stuff on my iMac, I prefer a big screen, I could easily live without my phone and mainly use it as a vehicle for my iMac and iPad . I'm older than 50s though.

The question is a bit strange as it seems to just mean broadband not mobile network

I mean you could, but why, it would just bemaking life more complicated, if you’re worried about your usage, use apps etc to block sites and the amount of time you are browsing.

I am 50 and remember life before internet. But so much is online now. There isn’t even a phone book now so how do you look up places to ring? I remember the London A-Z but now we have maps on our phones. Some places need booking and that’s online only. Even my GP.

If I want a doctor's appointment I have to have an Internet connection. There is no option to phone. You have to go through an AI triage process then wait to see if you will be offered an appointment.

Most bank branches (possibly all now) have closed in our town centre. Many physical branches are only in the county town.

No Internet would make life impossible. This isn't isolated rural living, this is an east Midlands town.

Why would you want to?

Can you tell us why you're wanting to do this? Is it a cost cutting exercise?

You may be able to for now, but we now have to book a doctors appointment through an app, you cannot call the surgery anymore.

Also things like banking, paying bills etc. It's so much quicker to do a lot of things online.

I don't think having internet guarantees a doctors appointment, I wanted one recently and have internet but couldn't get one so had to dig out my old cream and hope it still works, maybe that's the plan