Sjoe, this one had me going for a while. My first take on it was that the benefits or disadvantages should be pretty obvious so why even get into it. With more headscratching though I realised my initial thoughts were rather arrogant and there was more to it than I thought. What was also interesting was that my list kept on growing longer and longer and documenting just the required 10 did not even begin to give justice to the topic. So here's my ten (cents) worth:
1) Removing that hair-pulling frustration of having to stand in endless queues at banks or the lines of creditors, ranks way up there as a big plus. What a joy to deal with transactions and payments at the mere push of a button. Orgasmic, I tell you.
2) Oh, and finding those so-called 'long lost friends and family' on social media sites - you know the ones, those 'hotties' from high school or some other purposefully forgotten walk of life who were too damn beautiful, clever, or popular for their own good (least of all yours), that us lesser mortals at the time were told were destined to be the next best thing. Well, here's the thing - those 'hotties' we discover from looking at their pics and profiles are now the 'notties'. Yes, there is a God!
3) A big downer is the ever-growing number of corporates out there that ply their trade online and insist on bombarding us with their many products and services, regardless of whether we want or welcome them. There's no getting rid of these buggers. Not even the CPA can keep this consumer ill at bay.
4) My other pet hate are those annoying chain mails. If I get another email telling me how my luck will change or how I am guaranteed to win some amazing prize if I pass the offending scribe on to 10, 20 or even more unsuspecting people, I can not be held responsible for my actions!
5) Being able to contact friends and family at the mere flick of a switch far outweighs any downers though. For one with a son who is far away from home for 7 of 12 months each year, having Skype, email, or other social networks as a means of connecting with him is invaluable. Even having an online skinder with my daughter at the hairdresser is such a pleasure. How else will we get to make fun of the 'ouma Issie's' and 'nuttos' we encounter on these little excursions of ours?!
6) The cloak of anonymity when used online can be a double-edged sword though. I am constantly amazed by the very many outrageous thoughts and deeds floating around in cyberspace. Some of it hilarious. However, the sparkle loses its glare though when insidious means are propagated behind a devilish cloak. People have castigated others on line, been cowardly enough not to take ownership and the consequences in some instances have been dire, and even deadly in others.
7) Freedom of Speech - oh, I love this one. Despite, loads of threats of laws to protect both communicators and audiences, how on earth will there ever be a way to ensure that happens?! Come on, get real. Must say that I love that I can take the piss at whomever I please (politician, friend or foe) online and get away with it. Especially on social sites where it is so far reaching.
8) Addiction - "My name is Charmaine and I'm an online Scrabble addict". I can't get enough of the game. I play it all the time. My house could be burning down around me and I would need to feed that fix of meeting that 2 minute clock with the biggest word and count possible. Any online-Scrabble addiction clinics out there?
9) Stalkers and whackos - online is paradise for these mentally and emotionally challenged beings. I've been subjected to the onslaught of some really crazy people and it took me an inordinate amount of time and effort to rid myself of these pests. Ewwww, I still get the creeps just thinking about it.
10) And the big, biggy of all time! I've been an online millionaire in every currency imaginable. I've won the UK lottery, the Canadian lottery, taken the spoils from countless Nigerian pyramid schemes. The latest one being the R95K I won from Nokia in the UK nogal. Man, I've been lucky.
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