I think I’m addicted to the internet. But it’s not totally my fault. Like a toxic ex that wants to get back together, the Internet is always there, with no real boundaries. It’s full of promise and danger, just waiting. It wants to help me be my best — “Click here to donate to Autostraddle!” — and it’s happy to encourage me to be my worst– “Hey, wanna image search pterodactyl porn instead of meeting that deadline?” You bet I do, Internet. Why would I ever leave you when you give me everything I never knew I always wanted, including the ability to source that phrase to the 1997 Matthew Perry and Salma Hayek rom-com Fools Rush In. Oh, and this picture of Salma Hayek in a suit.
Online quizzes are super pops* these days, so I made one to help you discover whether you’re addicted to the internet, too. Oh and hey, if you’ve recently shared your result to one of Buzzfeed’s quizzes on Facebook, I imagine you were trying to communicate that you’re quirky-cool like Portland or detail-oriented like Prairie Dawn or a hot bolt of human lightning like Kim Deal. I didn’t really get that, though. Instead, I got that you spend too time on the internet. Way too much.
Don’t feel bad about it, though. We all do. Humans are social creatures; of course we like social networks. And our brains are actually wired to get a rush when we’re foraging around for an important new email, Facebook’s red flag of validation, or a picture of a squirrel in a hat.
How good was that? Good, I know. Tell your brain I said you’re welcome.
Now, take this little quiz to find out how addicted to the internet you are. (Note whether you answer mostly As, Bs, or Cs.)
1. When you type “What” into the search bar, Google is most likely to autofill with:
A.) the hell is doge?
B.) are kittens doing right now?
C.) does sunshine feel like?
2. Which category of Facebook status annoys you the most?
A.) Spiritual weirdness. Ex: “~~~*~~~May your Divine Consciousness vibrate peacefully like a perfect ovum within the sacred Earth-Womb of harmonious invisible mystery Mother Love. Namaste~~~*~~~”
B.) Over-the-top couples. Ex: “Can’t wait til Honeymuffin comes home ’cause I need those melty cuddle-wuddles! Only two more sleeps, babez!!! <3 <3 <3”
C.) Anything from Upworthy. Ex: “This man saying facts over some graphic design is going to blow your TINY, UNINFORMED LITTLE MIND. You’ll never see the color blue THE SAME WAY AGAIN because you’ll be genuinely HIPPOSHIT CRAZY and unable to process primary colors without COLLAPSING INTO A BUCKET OF TEARS.”
3. Which acronym best describes your current mood?
A.) ROFLMAO
B.) FML
C.) N (Netflix)
4. Why do you use Twitter?
A.) To keep up with current news and events.
B.) To ironically follow C-list celebrities.
C.) Because I have a desperate desire for external validation that is briefly satiated by retweets. Is there any other reason?
5. What’s your attention span?
A.) Riese’s long reads
B.) 140 characters or less
C.) Look, a slideshow of the “27 Best Gay Beach Wedding Day Dog Photobombs!”
6. Would you say you spend more time online or offline?
A.) My smartphone doesn’t count, right?
B.) Online.
C.) What do you mean “offline?”
7. What is your favorite online game?
A.) Solitaire.
B.) Any MMORPG.
C.) Passive-aggressively “liking” posts on Facebook.
8. Complete this sentence. Within the first minute of waking up I…
A.) Check my social media accounts.
B.) Wonder what that adorable imp Hannah Hart is up to.
C.) Post a bed selfie. #nomakeup #goodmorning #lazy #zzz #needacaffeinefix #someonebringmecoffee #LOL #pillowtime #lonely #reallylonely #cry4help #nobutreallyifeelsoaloneandafraid
Scoring Time! Did you choose mostly As, Bs, or Cs? Who cares? The point is: you’re addicted to the internet. I mean, you’re here now, aren’t you? You’re internetting right now. And you’re probably going to comment. Go on, do it. After all, to paraphrase Lizz Rubin, we’re all alone here together.
*Short for “super popular.” I made it up. And yes, I was super unpops in high school, thanks for asking.
That is one adorable squirrel, though now I’m wondering about other fashionable rodents … Internet search … nope!
I don’t know where on the spectrum between donating to Autostraddle and …ahem Adult Dinosaur Adventures (I can’t even type it) this falls but I have just googled Winkelhimer Smith because of the above photo and I want you to know I have no regrets.
…………….Winkelhimer Smith, The Painting Squirrel.
……………………………
I knew it was a bad idea to read this at work, my cackling laughter is going to get me in trouble >.>
I literally googled “27 Best Gay Beach Wedding Day Dog Photobombs!” hoping it existed because it’s everything I’ve ever wanted in my life.
Me too! I’m SO disappointed that it doesn’t exist.
all we need is 26 more and a tumblr and that site exists. get on it, photoshop whizzes!
I also had to look that up, now i’m so disappointed!
I read the title as ‘addiction to internet quizzes’ and soon realized it wasn’t going to be advice on curing my addiction.
In other news, I’m addicted to the internet! Let’s go to sporcle
when realized that my answer for #6 was “what do you mean OFFLINE?” i lolcried a little.
were you the one who wrote “pterodactyl porn, check it out” and put it in my pigeon hole?!
Luckily, I was not tempted.
oh my goodness, i would never inflict that horror on anyone.
uh huh, sure.
i am always happy to read the phrase “put it in my pigeon hole” however, so i’m glad we had this little misunderstanding.
not telling you my score.
As a hetero male I think the depth of my internet addiction is best represented by how much time I’ve spent reading autostraddle this week (which is entirely your fault, DeAnne).
The moment you actually try to read into what ABC could stand for and just realize wtf am i doing. ROFL
ha!
Yeah cause you know how we like to deny how much time we spend on the computers
I am not alone. Thanks, Vinz. LOL
Does it say a lot about my internet addiction that I know that the squirrel in the hat is named Sugarbush?
… it might just tip you into the more addicted category ;) …..
(tinypineapple)
an internet addiction quiz with only ONE picture of an adorable cat?! I doth protest.
My internet addiction got so bad that I had to deactivate my deliciously witty twitter account because I was becoming obsessed with checking the tweets of a lady who loved me but was in a relationship *shit just got real, folks*…she had a pension for Tegan and Sara lyrics and cryptic longings for her mistress (ie. me -__-)
SMART PHONES DEFY THE ABILITY TO SELF-CONTROL
I couldn’t have been the only one upset that there weren’t really any results at the end. Although I already know I am an addict.
If you answered mostly A: You like interspecies friendship memes and ironic e-cards. You have many real-life friends, but when you get together you all spend most of the time checking Facebook on your smartphones anyway. Addiction level: Average.
If you answered mostly B: You trust George Takei more than your own family. You have used textspeak abbreviations ironically for so long that they have almost completed a full cycle and become sincere again. You have a handful of real-life friends, but when they call you are always in the middle of constructing a carefully-crafted, highly sarcastic reply to an anonymous YouTube commenter. Addiction Level: Serious.
If you answered mostly C: Your body is merely the physical apparatus that allows your hundreds of online personas to exist. You have never met any of your friends face-to-face. Addiction Level: Hopeless
very well done
Well, this is perfect.
I had to give up Facebook for February because I have to a) work b) work some more c) study math online (auuuuuuuggggghhhh%$&$@%#) and d) pack my house up and move by the end of the month. I literally could have Facebooked myself into job loss, failing grades and forcible eviction if I didn’t do something drastic.
Now, off to read six open tabs’ worth of Autostraddle…
I didn’t realize fb likes could be passive-aggressive. That is anxiety inducing news.
Welcome to the club, darling.
You had me at “my smartphone doesn’t count right?” And this is the 2nd time I’ve heard of pterodactyl porn on this site! Trying to resist looking it up is starting to make me anxious……perhaps I’ll distract myself by passively aggressively liking. every. single. post. on my FB page…maybe one anxiety riddle behavior will cancel out the next?