@gail – Interesting response. I agree that with regards to time, I am “living in the present”. That’s why it’s so easy to spend hours on end at the computer. However, I don’t feel that I’m “living in the present” in the classical sense because my thoughts are wholly dedicated to objects that don’t exist right before my senses.
I have a friend who recently started living “in the moment” (to quote him) and he told me that it’s made him happier than ever. He is extremely aware of what’s going on around him, and finds a new ability to connect abstract thoughts to his surroundings. To me, this is very different than my experiences online – how often do I completely ignore my family when I’m right in the thick of a Fluther quip? It seems that my mind gets caught up on subjects beyond my environment, beyond “the present”.
@daloon – Agreed! I’d love to Fluther IRL. Or Google IRL. Or Wikipedia IRL. Not sure if “Wikipedia” is a verb yet, but it’s bound to become one. I wonder how that would work.