Livingston's Oral History of Internet Use

Overview

This interview took place with John Livingston Reynolds in his apartment on Sunday, September 27th. Per the participant’s request, he will be called Livingston in the summary of our interview. Interestingly, during our conversation, the participant could not resist leaving the interview site to use the internet. When asked what site he was on, his response was “fantasy baseball.”

Interview Protocol

(Follow up questions were asked based on the participant’s responses.)

Do you remember a time without the internet?

When you first started using the internet, how did you use it? How often?

How does this differ from the way you use the internet now?

How often do you use it now?

How has the internet changed the way you interact with people/friends/family?

How did you use the internet in college?

How has the internet enhanced your life?

How does it detract from your life?

Which do you value more – your cell phone or internet? And, why?

What would you do without the internet?

Where do you see the future of the internet going?

Summary

Currently, Livingston considers the internet part of his “daily routine.” In the morning, after he makes coffee, he immediately checks his email. After reading his email, he views ESPN.com, his fantasy baseball team, NYtimes.com, and political blogs. Usually, he noted during the interview, he flips from site to site in a matter of 30 seconds. If he finds a particularly long article interesting, he’ll save it to read during downtime at work. Since Livingston has recently relocated, he also uses the internet to communicate and share photos with friends and family. The internet behavior of Livingston, however, has changed since he first began to use it.

In addition to the types of internet sites Livingston visited, his internet behavior was different in his childhood compared to present day. Livingston started using the internet when he was around 11 years old. His family was one of the first family’s among his friends to use the internet. His parents paid for America OnLine by the hour so his usage was limited to a couple hours a week. During this time he dialed into America OnLine to follow sports, instant message with friends, and chat with other people in common interest chat rooms. He did not use the internet as a source of information during his childhood. Instead, he explained, “you had to ask your parents or look it up on an encyclopedia.”

Although Livingston reported spending more time on the internet in college than during his childhood, he admitted that the internet was still not as engrained into his daily routine like it is now. In contrast with his current behavior, he explained that he didn’t go to sites without thinking about it; he had to make a conscious thought about what he wanted to see or read. While Livingston was in college, America OnLine instant messaging (AIM) was popular among his friends but during his senior year, he disengaged from AIM completely. He reported that he was surprised that many people were shocked by his decision, but he had his reasons. He explained, “I was tired of having conversations with people that I never saw.”

The internet, for Livingston, enhances and detracts from his life. Livingston values the internet for connecting him to people who have different opinions than his own. He explained, “I think it helps you understand where other people are coming from without having to engage with other people.” While it enhances Livingston’s life, he also believes it deters face-to-face communication. The ability to read the news and catch sports headlines online, he explained, discourages him from going to the store and engaging with people “from the outside world.”