There are some people who hate the Internet just as much as they hated television. Ray Bradbury is among them. He wrote an entire book about how evil television was for society, since he saw it as a consumptive drain on people's time at home. And now he hates the Internet, for much the same reason.

Try as I have, I can't bring myself to see things this way. I can't see the Internet as being just a new time-suck factor in people's lives. It enables too much. Whereas television is passive and limited as far as choices go, the Internet affords almost unlimited choice and you very much have to decide what you're going to spend your time consuming.

You can learn how to do home repairs. You can learn wilderness survival. You can learn how to be a more effective public speaker. Actually, you could learn all of that on television too...but on the web, it's there when you realize you need to know it.

It may be better if people read books than watch TV or browse the web; I'm not in a position to say. But if people, in your opinion, aren't choosing to spend their time on the Internet in productive ways, or in ways that enrich their lives, you can blame it on their education or upbringing.