One of the internet providers had an advertisement slogan is Where will you go on the Internet or it was featuring one of the great things about the internet – if you are curious about a subject you can learn or find information till your heart’s content. You can find others who are interested in subjects you are interested in and you can be a more informed person. Most people including me are sometimes curious about subjects, but not 7 days a week. Sometimes seemingly mindless activities are equally as important. It is the seemingly mindless activities that a book was written about the subject. The book is called The Internet Trap by Ashesh Mukherjee published by U of T Press, Toronto, 2018. The author is an Associate Professor of Marketing at McGill and can be reached at ashesh.mukherjee@mcgill.ca.

Too Many Comparisons

When we compare ourselves we tend to compare upwards. Upwards means in our minds, people who are better than us. If you are on Facebook, you tend to post something more than routine or more interesting. The best of the 100’s of pictures taken or the places seen. This can lead to envy because the viewer has not have not done anything interesting.

Too Little Privacy

The Internet never forgets. Everything we do online is recorded in data bases and big data is becoming more important. Companies will continue to mine the data and as long as it is in the general grouping we are likely good. As data mining becomes more specific perhaps it is better to be off line every once in a while.

Linking to dividend paying stocks, while the above related to individuals, companies are making the connections and for really good reasons. Not long ago, an elevator company connecting all their elevators was a good thing. The data will help the company and potentially give it a competitve advantage. That type of collection and information may help the stock price to go up because the company is no longer just an elevator company. The information can be used for other purposes and the information allows you to examine a company differently.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.