Is the internet dangerous for adults ?

singleagain

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 4:47 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

I don't understand the vitriol.

Everyone would acknowledge a need for gun safety. Out of reach of kids, locked, unloaded, whatever.
So why are people opposed to internet safety? That's not saying not to have internet (or a gun), but once you have it, have precautions in place.

What those precautions should be can vary in each family but why is anyone opposed to the concept of having them at all?

I'm not necessarily opposed, however I don't want someone else to impose their safety features on me.

shabbatiscoming

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 5:03 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Its being told by rabbanim that one MUST have it that makes people upset. Why can this not just be something that each individual or each family does on their own volition?

PinkFridge

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 5:35 pm

shabbatiscoming wrote:

But who make rabbanim the experts on the internet?

I would bet that many rabbanim have their experts they consult to be more literate. But rabbanim are officiating at divorces (yes, the internet might be a factor) and dealing with many issues - sholom bayis, kids, etc. where internet is a factor.

And many rabbanim take a lot of counseling courses. (There's even a rabbi cohort now in one of the frum college social work programs.) They're not doing therapy, and probably shouldn't be doing therapy on their congregants, but they're now able to offer so much more to their congregants.

Now, you might say, those rabbanim aren't the ones on the kol koreihs etc. I'm inclined to be open to respecting them and listening to what they all have to say.

nechamashifra

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 6:20 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

A gun is used for one thing only, so yes saying guns are dangerous makes sense.
The internet is a tool that can be used for so many things, saying "the internet is dangerous" is a bit like saying "the world is dangerous". Both true statements.. but unless you lock yourself into a bubble and don't move, it makes more sense to learn how to navigate the world (and the internet) in a responsible manner, then to walk around with blinders.

amother

Peony

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 6:29 pm

Im going to leave this thread because I cannot believe Im taking part in such a discussion.

Respecting our rabbonim but also saying they are nit holier then us??
And how can they tell us what to do??

I am embaressed to be part of this, I would never have this conversation in real life.

Not sure which rabbonim you are talking about, but 100% my rov is on a higher level then me.

PinkFridge

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 6:34 pm

nechamashifra wrote:

And if someone choose to use a rav's guidance in navigating the world and internet?

BrisketBoss

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 6:37 pm

amother [ Peony ] wrote:

Can you identify which qualities put him on a higher level? What are the requirements? I know you have to be a frum male, first of all. And then you learn enough to earn smicha. Is that it, or is there more?

nechamashifra

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 6:48 pm

PinkFridge wrote:

And if someone choose to use a rav's guidance in navigating the world and internet?

I was responding to "is the internet dangerous for adults"? I'm not a rav (obviously) but the question was posted right here so I was just giving my humble opinion.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 7:01 pm

I personally have not heard rabbonim say exactly how internet should be filtered, etc
Just that it should be.

I have no problem with that, just like I would have no problem with a doctor who works in an ER saying guns should be stored safely.

Maybe I'd go to police or a different professional as to how to best keep everyone in my house safe with a gun in it. And maybe I'd go to TAG and discuss what options work well to keep my family safe with the internet. But the initial advice to speak to an expert as to which precautions to take can very well be respected by the first responders to safety breaches.

amother

Winterberry

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 7:35 pm

I find that when someone deals with situations over and over they do become something of experts, at least to the point of noting that something is a significant problem.
Rabbonim with years of experience, particularly in certain communities where people feel comfortable approaching their rabbi, do see patterns, and as such they are qualified to note those patterns.

A rabbi who has seen multiple people approach him for chizzuk due to either being addicted to internet use/ p-rn/ a relationship that was made easier through easy internet access, is certainly qualified to say that a filter is important.

When you have multiple people approaching you, you do have more experience and more of a worldview that yes, maybe this is a problem affecting enough people that a filter is important.

Anyone who works in a helping field in which they are faced with numerous people on a constant basis will understand what I am talking about.
Patterns emerge and you can offer an educated opinion.

amother

Viola

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 7:53 pm

The problem is when schools start giving ultimatums about filtered internet or internet in general when, imas, let's face reality, we are all here. I think most if not all here know which websites to go and which not.

Not_in_my_town

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 9:11 pm

Disclaimer: I did not follow this thread up until this point, but I'm going to insert my two cents in here.

Filters are great. But they aren't the solution. They are a helpful tool to help a person avoid things he doesn't want to see, and even to avoid things he DOES want to see at a moment he's in a morally weakened state.

That said, someone who WANTS to see something inappropriate is going to find a way to do to it. It just might be a little harder and he might have to work to conceal it more.

But the solution is not to vilify internet, even unfiltered. The solution is to build people.

Build people who believe in their intrinsic holiness, their importance to Hashem, and the weightiness of their decisions. People who view life for what it is -- and view themselves for the holy neshamos they are -- don't generally fall into shmutz.

It's only when they've been told they are worthless that they descend into a dark pit. It's a downward spiral from there.

Building people builds natural barriers; the kind that comes from internal strength.
Building unnatural barriers of vilification creates only rifts in society and destroys people.

amother

Junglegreen

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 9:16 pm

shabbatiscoming wrote:

But who make rabbanim the experts on the internet?

Frum people accept daas Torah. There are clear rules about it in the Torah. If you’re frum you follow the Torah. 1+1=2

amother

Junglegreen

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 9:18 pm

amother [ Peony ] wrote:

Thank you. This should be the feeling of everyone who considers themselves frum.
People who say they don’t want rabbis telling them what to do clearly have issues with knowing what a Torah fearing Jew is and how he conducts his life

amother

Junglegreen

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 9:21 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Wow I’m shocked how many ppl here don’t know or haven’t learned the well known saying that one has to always defer to daas Torah and that even if a Rov says it’s night out when you see it’s day, you have to believe them. And their knowledge is based on deep Torah learning, and believe it nor, everything can be found in the Torah, everything, even how to deal with an issue like internet,

singleagain

Mon, Aug 08 2022, 9:22 pm

amother [ Junglegreen ] wrote:

There are many good Jews who don't ask a rabbi anything unless it is about halacha.