Why one in five U.S. adults don't use the Internet

Never thought it could be that high!

[henry0]

Excerpt from CNN:

Even though the Internet has become a key tool for accessing services, getting an education, finding jobs, getting the news, keeping up with people you know and much more, one in five U.S. adults still does not use the Internet at all, according to a new Pew report.

Read from source
[cnn.com ]

[Marshall]

It seems a major reason is a lack of broadband access (cost aside). While the US is very urban, most forget about the truly wide expanses of rural areas where cable does not go. Since I have moved out of "the city" into a rural area, albeit a small town, I have become more aware of this. I know some people who literally have mile long driveways and the homeowner is responsible for getting a line to the road to connect to the cable company and most do not want to incur the expense.

In the end, are people (in the story's demographics) really missing something by not using the internet.

Marshall

[henry0]

I am inclined to agree with you, but only up to the point where the generation gap creates an unfortunate cleavage.
The younger generation is doomed to face an almost insurmountable fight in order to level up with the other, web surrounded, segment of the population.

[lucy24]

I know some people who literally have mile long driveways and the homeowner is responsible for getting a line to the road to connect to the cable company and most do not want to incur the expense.

I should think not. That's why people crawl along on satellite internet. But the rural poor aren't a real big segment of the population.

My up-front suspicion is that the younger and poorer part of the non-Internet-using demographic don't go online because they're too busy yattering away on their cell phones. When would they ever have time to go on Facebook and Twitter?

[rocknbil]

But the rural poor

I was in a 3 bedroom house + 2 bedroom guesthouse + pool + 2.5 acres for 7 years in an area 3 miles from cable and Internet services, stuck on satellite.

Yet, yesterday my sister told me she had given up the internet for real life. Disconnected it completely and doesn't even use it. It was, to say the least, an enlightening view.

[Marshall]

I gave up my cell phone and it really has made my life less complicated and things easier, much to the surprise of many. And I don't miss it.

Marshall

[lucy24]

I was in a 3 bedroom house + 2 bedroom guesthouse + pool + 2.5 acres for 7 years in an area 3 miles from cable and Internet services, stuck on satellite.

Yes, that's what I meant. I assume you weren't living like that because you couldn't afford anything else ;)

I know one person in, er, real life who turns on her computer when she wants to use it, and then turns it off again when she's done. Now that to me is unfathomable. Computer goes on first thing in the morning, off last thing at night. Modem and router are separate, so they never go off unless there is a Problem.

[Kate_Oranum]

This mas sounds real sad - but I can't imagine life without internet .