The basic necessities for life are food, shelter and companionship but for most of us the Internet is nearly as important to our day to day life. We use it to stay connected with friends, family, co-workers and society. We check Facebook, e-mails and blogs to find out what is happening now. How dependent as a society have we become on the constant flow of data?

 A recent survey of millenules (17 to 29 year olds) found that 75 percent felt they would be grumpier without Wi-Fi access than without coffee or tea. I’m with them; I can suffer through the headaches of a caffeine withdrawal better than I could handle being cut off from my newsfeeds. We rely on this connection to know our place in the world. Some feel that this reliance on the data stream is de-personalizing communication. I would argue against that.

 While it is true we may not pick up the phone and call each other as often as we used to, we are more connected to the minutia of our friends’ lives than ever before. We can share the things we find funny, sad or that we think require the action of society. This connection to every like and dislike helps to make us feel safe, to let us know that we have a place in society and that we are not alone.

In addition to the comfort the Internet brings, we have become reliant on the ability to look up information on practically anything from practically anywhere. With this environment of easily shared data, it is critical that we understand how to judge the truth of the information we receive. We need to realize that not every word that comes from Twitter or the blogosphere is true. We need to exercise critical judgment and reasoning. We need to be able to see the proof and factual support for the information we are given. As rational consumers of information we have to be willing to give evidence to support our opinions.

So often on the Internet we encounter comments that amount to “that is dumb” said in many different ways. We have to be willing to ask, “And why?” Why is it dumb? Why is it wrong? What proof do you have? When we ask these questions we can move the debate from more than name calling to an opportunity to understand another point of view. We have to be willing to debate rather than argue. We have to be willing to concede that there is a chance the people we are talking to may be right and we may be wrong. The point of debate is to arrive at a common understanding of the subject matter, not to degrade the person who challenges our way of thinking.

We are connected like never before. This connection to the data stream is more than a luxury today, though it has not quite reached the point of being a necessity. However, it has become such a part of daily life that those who cannot find shelter or may have trouble finding a meal are still willing to expend their resources to make sure they have a way to connect.

Recently, the gadget website Gizmodo ran two pictures of homeless men with laptops and shopping carts. In response to this, a homeless American living in Paris who identifies himself as a “permanent traveler” responded explaining why he needs a laptop and an iPad. While he travels the world he uses his connection to the Internet to find places to stay on websites like CouchSurfer. He also uses his iPad and laptop to find work as a freelance writer, web developer or party dj. He mentions that when people see his gadget they see him as a person, not as a drugged-out panhandler.

In the future, it may be that our basic needs become food, shelter, companionship and information.