Internet access is one of the most important modern tools humans have. People have learned, communicated, and grown because of the internet. For decades, the sheer number of sites and information online has led to us understanding things that were never possible before.
But a large number of sources and the easy access to information have led many of us to wonder what is accurate. It is an important skill to be able to identify something that is educational, and other items that are inaccurate.
This was especially relevant during the last two years of the pandemic. People were making claims and giving opinions on medicine, disease, and politics. They often had no authority to do so. There’s a big difference between casually discussing things like movies compared to vital health and safety information.
We’ll talk about several examples of the way the internet tries to educate us. This ranges from getting insurance quotes online to checking for your next job or career choice.
The most important thing that needs to happen is for all of us to be able to differentiate between a reliable source and misinformation. Listening to the internet should come at your own discretion.
Medical Information
Let’s really dig into this topic. The pandemic hit everyone in their own personal way. If you caught the virus yourself, then you really felt the need to tell everyone how your experience is the universal one.
Social media and other online commentaries on the virus became a whirlwind of personal information. These unique experiences were far too often depicted as the only thing that someone can endure if they catch the virus.
This was especially true when people were telling their stories in small chunks on social media. Even worse is when people will link to sites that have a clear bias, and then pass it off as accurate information.
This deceiving of the public really took hold during discussions on masks and vaccines.
People were questioning medical authorities. They were using tactics that would play to people’s emotions instead of their decision-making.
There are billions of people on this planet. It should go without saying that sickness and health issues don’t impact every person in the same way. Don’t get frightened and overreact just because one person claims something happened to them.
On the other hand, people shouldn’t ignore a global pandemic because fellow Twitter users had no problems when they got sick. The only valuable source of information for disease and health is your medical team.
Ask your doctor about anything that you are concerned about. There should never be any doubt that their knowledge far exceeds your uncle on Facebook.
If you want a quick summary of something related to your health before you see your doctor, there are sites that provide good information. The official Centers For Disease Control (CDC) site is always a great resource for eager patients. Official medical commentary on a “.edu” page or another scholastic resource may also be sufficient to calm nerves in the short term.
Life Advice and Commentary
There is a difference between using the internet to solve a problem, and using it to commiserate with others. Bloggers, commentators, and Youtube vloggers have been valuable for everyone at one point or another. When we experience something new and we feel alone, there is always someone online that can empathize with us.
Let’s say that your child was just diagnosed with autism. This can be troubling and stressful on your family. While you can talk to doctors and specialists about the condition itself, they might not have the personal stories that someone online can provide.
This is different from when we talked about taking medical advice from Twitter users during the pandemic. The articulate commentary we are talking about isn’t supposed to educate an audience.
It is a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold onto for support. These essays and blogs create a welcoming environment for people to know that someone has experienced what you are going through. It is never a substitute for a diagnosis from a doctor.
On a lighter note, there are many valuable sources of information that the internet has revolutionized. Think about exchanging ideas in fields such as cooking and home repair. Bloggers with homemade recipes have helped novices learn to prepare their own food. Home improvement sites have helped inexperienced homeowners take care of their property.
Quick questions that give simple answers to everyday problems are the best way the internet can help all of us. Serious questions should be left to professionals.
Insurance Quotes
Getting insurance quotes online is one of the most helpful things the internet has done for us. It takes a typically long-winded process and streamlines it. You save time because you don’t have to call different agents up for quotes. Instead, many sites take the information that has been made available by insurers and pop out an accurate quote.
You do need to have certain pieces of information to provide for the insurance quote site. The make and model of your car, your age, and your gender are all going to be needed to get a quote.
Remember that insurance is a negotiable process. Just because you get an estimate online doesn’t mean it is final. Talk to your potential agent and see if there is wiggle room for the final price of the policy.
Job Opportunities
The internet has made finding work so much easier. People used to have to walk into places of employment and ask if they were hiring. They had to look at advertisements in the newspaper on Sundays.
Sites like Indeed have made it so simple to find the exact job you are looking for. All of the ads are in one place. If you want to look for part-time jobs, you can do that. If you want to limit your search to employment within 10 miles, that’s easy too.
This is truly where the internet has made life so much better for all of us. Finding information that would normally take a lot longer to discover is the most revolutionary aspect of being online.
Hopefully, you can see now that the internet is a valuable tool if used properly. You should always check the credibility of the source you are looking for. If the information is reliable in the real world, then it is going to be a valuable online resource.
Shawn Laib writes and researches for the auto insurance site, 4AutoInsuranceQuotes.com. He wants to help people understand how they can check their insurance and learn about other resources for their life’s problems online.
