2. IS THE INTERNET A DRUG?

OK, all the medical/practical types might be going, “UH, NO. DUH.” But hear me out!

According to the God of All Things (aka Wikipedia), “a drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function.” Well, studies are starting to show that long-term use of the internet may be altering our minds:

• Surfing the internet “alters your brain”
• Is Google making us stupid?

Reasons that drugs are bad include:

• addictive
• expensive
• bad for your health

Well, I think the internet just might be addictive. I mean, how many of us could imagine not going online for a week? A month? How about just a day? Sure, it’s technically possible, just like it’s technically possible to quit cocaine cold turkey. (Insert awful joke about DJ AM here…)

The internet isn’t necessarily expensive, but if you bundle it with cable and a phone line, or if you pay by the MB on your cell phone, it might be.

And finally, as I can attest, the internet is bad for one’s health. For people, the dangers include repetitive stress injury (RSI), hunchback-ness, and deteriorated eyesight. For computers, the risk is catching a virus/Trojan.

In conclusion, I think the internet could be classified as a drug, and I am fairly certain I’m an addict. Anyone want to start an IAA? (Internet Abusers Anonymous)