# Is the Internet still (seen as) a luxury? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 14, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935 "2012-11-14T00:57:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/21 "2012-11-15T18:21:22Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > Well, that leaves pretty much just air. Well yes, if you live in a temperate climate. But if we extend that to a day by day basis it takes a little bit more, like food at a minimum, shelter often, and clothing if you are not a physically fit young woman (ok, that last one is just my preference). It’s also health care for many people, and protection from the wild animals that live nearby, especially in some dense urban areas. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/22 "2012-11-15T18:24:44Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > I’m going to start up a charity to help Amish people get the necessities of life. Who’s with me? > > It’s not that they don’t know about technology or can’t afford it. True story. I was in an Amish furniture store in rural Colorado a few months ago. The proprietor was a young Amish man who had his horse and buggy parked outside the store. The store semi-open building with no electric lights. The furniture was all beautiful and handmade using traditional techniques. My daughter was interested in a couple of pieces but they were too big to check on the plane home. I asked the Amish man if they could ship their products in any way. He replied “Sure, or course, in fact our website is almost done so you can order from there. Just go to www…” ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/23 "2012-11-15T18:25:04Z")
I think the physically fit young women would like to have clothes, too. As if they don’t get ogled enough! ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/24 "2012-11-15T18:30:21Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Well yes, if you live in a temperate climate. But if we extend that to a day by day basis it takes a little bit more, like food at a minimum, shelter often, and clothing if you are not a physically fit young woman (ok, that last one is just my preference). It’s also health care for many people, and protection from the wild animals that live nearby, especially in some dense urban areas. Point is, if you took away everything from me except air, I’d still be alive 24 hours from now. It’s an absurd definition of “necessity”. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/25 "2012-11-15T18:35:37Z")
I wouldn’t qualify it, or owning a car, as either a necessity OR a luxury. They’re both tools, and each greatly broaden your opportunities. Yes, you could take the subway instead, IF you live somewhere public transportation is viable. And yes you COULD use your phone for basic communications, if you live somewhere wireless 4-G is a constant and you have an awesome phone/netbook. But really, they are both expenses and tools that lifestyles are built around, and which wouldn’t be possible otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/26 "2012-11-15T18:36:43Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > From a personal standpoint, it’s a luxury, but a very important one. If I had to choose, I’d keep internet over TV any day…even during football season. > > From a small business owner perspective, it is absolutely a necessity. Damn near everything I do involves the internet…I get clients from my website and various online directories, electronic filing is required in my local federal courts (but thankfully not in state courts, yet). Checking dockets, legal research, quick communication with other lawyers, some judges, some court clerks…all online. I haven’t had to look for an entry-level minimum-wage job for a long time now, but my understanding from friends who have, is that the Internet is now a necessity for applying even to those jobs. Gone are the days of “show up, fill out an application, talk to the manager, get hired.” As someone mentioned up-thread, even fast-food jobs require online applications these days. So if you don’t have home Internet, you’d best haul your rear to the library and wait for a terminal there to make your job applications. I’d say that puts the Internet firmly in the column of “necessity,” at least for job-seekers. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/27 "2012-11-15T18:41:32Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > Point is, if you took away everything from me except air, I’d still be alive 24 hours from now. It’s an absurd definition of “necessity”. Yes. I do make extreme statements to make a point (don’t know why because everybody seems to miss the point). But more simply put, a necessity is something you need to stay alive. That’s not much for a 24 hour period. But for an extended period of days you need more than air, but you don’t need internet to stay alive. I need it to make life worth living, but that’s another matter. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/28 "2012-11-15T18:42:32Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I think the physically fit young women would like to have clothes, too. As if they don’t get ogled enough! But they would stay alive. And be very popular. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/29 "2012-11-15T18:45:03Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > From a small business owner perspective, it is absolutely a necessity. From my job perspective, it’s a necessity. Or maybe not, but at least we’d need a WAN. At the very least, a LAN. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/30 "2012-11-15T18:53:34Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Yes. I do make extreme statements to make a point (don’t know why because everybody seems to miss the point). But more simply put, a necessity is something you need to stay alive. That’s not much for a 24 hour period. But for an extended period of days you need more than air, but you don’t need internet to stay alive. I need it to make life worth living, but that’s another matter. But the vast majority of people really can stay alive without electricity, so would you argue that electricity isn’t a necessity either? I get that Internet isn’t the same as food, but if it allows you to get income to BUY FOOD, then why isn’t it a necessity? I was SUPER poor fairly recently (now I’m still poor, but I still get by okay with some disposable income, mainly due to having Section 8), and I always kept Internet, but it was a net positive income-wise. It cost $25/month and I was earning about $100/month on Amazon Mechanical Turk. Then Slickdeals helped me find deals on some necessities, I could save money on gas by taking care of various things online instead of in person, I could use the phone through MagicJack, etc, etc, etc. It was a non-necessity in the way that a permanent residence is a non-necessity because you COULD just pay way more to live in a hotel. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/31 "2012-11-15T19:04:52Z")
I just looked on the UK JobCentrePlus website (government thing that you have to deal with if you are unemployed and claiming benefits), limiting the vacancy search to within my wider local area. There’s only two jobs out of a couple of hundred that do not require either a) an internet application form or b) emailing a CV to someone. Now, that’s only the jobs that are posted on there, and I guess you can actually go into the local Job Centre and use the facilities for free, but that strikes me as the net is becoming essential if you want to survive these days. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/32 "2012-11-15T19:09:17Z")
I view it as a necessity for me, almost on par with electricity, but that’s because I’ve always had it and am able to afford it. If I couldn’t afford it (like my aunt who’s raising her three grandkids on disability checks and no child support from her daughter or the baby-daddy), it would be a luxury. It’s all relative. I’d say in the first world, internet is rapidly becoming a necessity. But it’s obviously not as important as heat, lights, and drinking water. My utility priority is something like electric = gas if applicable = water \> internet \> phone \> tv. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/33 "2012-11-15T19:50:11Z")
For many or most jobs it is a necessity. For most schools it is a necessity - certainly for all colleges. As for private life, perhaps less so, but more and more you are going to have to pay extra to not use it. For instance, getting paper bank statements, getting cheaper books and other things. Safeway now has a system where you get extra discounts - beyond that from just having a card - on line. Not to mention likely being cut off from friends and family. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/34 "2012-11-15T19:59:55Z")
I think I would have to count it as a necessity these days, because public schools issue assignments that would literally not be possible without it. Now if the schools were also required to have a computer lab that students could use, maybe it would not be necessary to have it at home, but there does not seem to be any requirement that they provide that. Libraries do not go far in picking up the slack, what with their limited hours, and not all kids have access to them either. ---
**Author:** ![solosam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@solosam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solosam)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/35 "2012-11-15T20:22:11Z")
I agree that the internet is rapidly approaching the level of a necessity, if it’s not there already. Most modern businesses will point you to fill out an electronic application on the internet for employment. I suspect anyone who says, “But I don’t have the internet…” will be viewed as a liability and shown the door. I’ve been in situations where I was travelling and did not have internet access or a personal computer. I had to put in a lot of long hours in libraries because there was a very definite expectation that people in this day and age\* should\* have internet access. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/36 "2012-11-15T23:13:35Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Not to mention likely being cut off from friends and family. Some consider this a benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/37 "2012-11-15T23:42:53Z")
Necessity. If you are searching for a job, or searching for a good deal on goods or services you need the internet. Granted, you can use the internet at a library for free. Or if you have a laptop you can use public wifi. But that puts you at a security risk by entering passwords on a public PC or public network. Plus if you are truly poor the internet provides tons of cheap or free entertainment, which theoretically helps you avoid spending money elsewhere. Cell phones are not a necessity IMO, at least not for what I do and I could function fine with a magicjack. But my pre-paid starts at $7/month, so it is worth having for that cost. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/38 "2012-11-16T00:06:38Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > I just looked on the UK JobCentrePlus website (government thing that you have to deal with if you are unemployed and claiming benefits), limiting the vacancy search to within my wider local area. There’s only two jobs out of a couple of hundred that do not require either a) an internet application form or b) emailing a CV to someone. Now, that’s only the jobs that are posted on there, and I guess you can actually go into the local Job Centre and use the facilities for free, but that strikes me as the net is becoming essential if you want to survive these days. That’s another good point. I’m currently on unemployment in the US, and it is nearly literally impossible to get through on the telephone line, for anything. You MUST do everything online. I say ‘nearly literally’ just because the phone number must be there for a reason, but I have spent full 8-hour days redialling the number, and have never gotten through, ever. Not a single time, and I’ve been dealing with this for 10 months now. So…yeah. Without internet, fuggedaboutit. And all the state jobs here are listed online, and nowhere else that I’ve seen. And you need to fill out the downloaded form before mailing it in, so…yeah. Good luck doing any of that without internet. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/39 "2012-11-16T02:15:11Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Some consider this a benefit. Methinks you need new friends if you consider being cut off from them a benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935/40 "2012-11-16T02:18:48Z")
It’s been a necessity for quite a while. You might not need it in your personal living space (if you go to a college with good computer lab access for example), but we don’t say food isn’t a necessity because you can go out to eat. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-internet-still-seen-as-a-luxury/640935.md?page=3)