Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down What They'd Do If The Internet Shut Down Tomorrow

Person using laptop and searching on Google
Photo by Benjamin Dada on Unsplash

Reddit user Samuelwankenobi_ asked 'If the internet shut down tomorrow, what do you do?'

As quickly as the internet and social media came onto the scene, many people can still remember what it was like before the internet was so prevalent, or at least when people were first getting acclimated to it.

Thinking back, they entertained the idea of the internet going away again, and the results were eye-opening.


Redditor Samuelwankenobi_ asked:

"If the internet shut down tomorrow, what do you do?"

Looking for Work

"I would probably have to look for a job."

- alwaysworks

"Almost all business now depends on the internet, including payment networks, infrastructure, etc..."

- trancecircuit

Be Kind; Rewind

"Step 1. Make some phone calls."

"Step 2. Open a new form of Blockbuster. People are going to want their movies and shows that they can't stream anymore."

"Step 3. Profit."

- ooglieguy0211

Office Environments

"Be f**king p**sed because I have to work in an office again."

- FredChocula

Honestly, A Dream

"It would be time to actually 'quit' and get to that plant mom career I’ve been wanting."

- skdubbs

Mental Health Quality

"I'd probably see an improvement in my mental health."

- Pale_Currency_134

Back to Reading

"I'd get a library card."

- Virgin_algerian

Reconnect with Nature

"Go outside."

- CertifiedLurker5

"For a nice long bike ride."

- nutellatubby

Internet Addiction

"I am 20 and the internet is all I have known. I would be so annoyed, frustrated, and depressed all at the same time but I do think with time my mental health would improve and I would start doing the things I actually want to do."

- officialjeasuschrist2

"I am 50 and miss my internet-free life quite often. Tech and the internet have done a number on my ability to focus, productivity, and social interactions. But I also lack the willpower to simply shut it off."

- Taminella_Grinderfal

Options Aplenty

"Clean my house and do the garden. No wait, my current fixation is an offline game, I'd probably play that and watch some of my 12Tb of shows and movies instead..."

- LordOafsALot

Sounds About Right

"Run like a headless chicken for about three hours and then go clean my room."

- RavenWitch13

We Can Certainly Hope So

"Go back to enjoying life as it's supposed to be."

- Starforce1616

Practical Choice

"Well, I’d try unplugging and it plugging it back in. Will probably fix it."

- DisappointingPanda

Apocalypse Now

"There would be no card payments (how do you buy food, gas, medicine,…). Landlines run over the internet where I live so no basic telephones. Communication as we know it would be gone. Would ATMs even work anymore? Things would get really ugly, really fast."

- alwaysaprairiegirl

"Nothing would work, some major infrastructures have backups, but for the most part our entire way of life is run through the internet."

"We’d be f**ked if it was out longer than three to five days."

- Mundane_Tour_3215

Avoid the Panic

"Hunker down for the next 48 hours. Stay away from public places and try to avoid being killed over a can of soup as the panic spreads. If it comes back on immediately, start using the brief calm to stockpile as much as I can. Within a week the cost of living will skyrocket as companies try to bleed people dry to recoup their losses and pay for the new redundancy systems they are putting into place. If it doesn't come back on after 48 hours; well kiss your @ss goodbye."

- westernteryaki

Ready to Go

"I am a child of the 80s. I trained for this."

- Subliminal_Image

Though being without the internet being gone would be incredibly jarring, those who were old enough to remember a time without such a prominent internet actually welcomed the idea.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Jamie Raskin; Marjorie Taylor Greene
Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images; Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin Hit With Pushback After Offering Surprising Invite To MTG

Georgia MAGA Republican Representative and QAnon conspiracy theorist Marjorie Taylor Greene has found herself on the wrong side of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump, but on the right side of history when it comes to protecting women and children from sexual predators.

The split began in earnest with MTG's support of Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie's discharge petition to force a House vote on Massie's bill, cosponsored by California Democratic Representative Ro Khanna: HR 185, the Epstein Files Transparency Bill.

Keep Reading Show less
Kevin O'Leary; Zohran Mamdani
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images; Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

'Shark Tank' Star Dragged After Whining About How Mamdani Hasn't Made Things 'Free' In NYC Yet

Billionaire former Shark Tank star Kevin O'Leary was criticized after sarcastically lamenting during a Fox Business interview that he expected "free" buses, meals and lodging after Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City—completely ignoring the fact that Mamdani isn't in office yet.

Mamdani won this month's election to become the next mayor of New York City, successfully weathering Islamophobic and racist attacks. The win marked a turning point in U.S. politics—Mamdani is a democratic socialist preparing to lead the global financial capital—and sent shockwaves around the world.

Keep Reading Show less
Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, Bill Clinton
Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images; Rick Friedman/Rick Friedman Photography/Corbis via Getty Images; Paul Morigi/WireImage/Getty Images

Jeffrey Epstein's Brother Speaks Out To Clear Up That Scandalous 'Bubba' Email—And Now We Have Even More Questions

Mark Epstein—the brother of the late financier, pedophile, and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein—released a statement addressing an email exchange between himself and his brother that sparked online speculation that President Donald Trump had once performed oral sex on former President Bill Clinton.

The House Oversight Committee on Friday released thousands of emails from its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, and attention quickly zeroed in on one exchange between Mark and Jeffrey Epstein.

Keep Reading Show less
couple cooking meal together
Jimmy Dean on Unsplash

Married Couples Reveal The Relationship Secrets That No One Talks About

Secrets of a successful marriage? Why are these secrets? Shouldn't they be shared?

Truthfully, most of the secrets shared here are available from marriage counselors or self-help books, but the question is often phrased as a request to know a married couples' "secret."

Keep Reading Show less
Marissa Bode (L) addresses the viral moment in Singapore where a man rushed Ariana Grande on the yellow carpet (R).
@marissa_edob/TikTok; @bellephai13/TikTok

'Wicked' Star Furiously Speaks Out After Ariana Grande Was Accosted By Fan In Scary Incident At Premiere

Marissa Bode is not here for anyone disrespecting her Wicked family—especially not Ariana Grande.

The 25-year-old actor, who plays Nessarose Thropp in the two-part Wicked film adaptation, spoke out after a chaotic incident during the Singapore stop of the Wicked: For Good press tour last Thursday when a man jumped past security and grabbed Grande on the yellow carpet.

Keep Reading Show less