I don\u2019t have \u201creal\u201d internet in the apartment.\u00a0 I use a T-Mobile hotspot that has a 10gb a month limit.\u00a0 I bought it when I was out of the country for pretty much a whole month, and knew I needed to be able to check email and write posts.\u00a0\u00a0 It works pretty well, so I decided to just keep it instead of paying Comcast or Verizon big money for the same thing.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, I ran out of internet on Monday night.<\/p>\n
It isn\u2019t really a big deal, it just means that I am going to make the 5 minute drive to where I work, use the internet there for a few minutes from inside the car, and then drive back. \u00a0I have permission to use the internet there even after work hours. \u00a0It is really just inconvenient, not really a serious problem.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the thing.\u00a0 I found out about a month ago that one of my neighbors has an unlocked network, and I can get on pretty much anytime I chose to.\u00a0 I found out by accident, when a desktop I don\u2019t often use suddenly installed updates when I didn\u2019t have my hotspot turned on.\u00a0 It had connected to a network with the same name before, and connected itself without my intervention in the apartment.<\/p>\n
Again not really a big deal.<\/p>\n
The thing is that right now I am sitting here and thinking about my neighbors open network again.\u00a0 It would be so easy to connect to their router, and upload my post for the day without having to go out in the wind and cold again.\u00a0 \u201cI am trying to do a good thing, surely they wouldn\u2019t mind.\u00a0 Anyways isn\u2019t it their responsibility to lock their wi-fi if they don\u2019t want anyone else to use it?\u201d<\/p>\n
It is so easy to justify our actions.<\/p>\n
It is so easy to overlook our own wrong doing if we can\u2019t see the victim of our crimes.\u00a0 It is so easy to convince ourselves that we aren\u2019t REALLY doing anything wrong.\u00a0 It\u2019s just wi-fi.\u00a0 Everyone does it!<\/p>\n
The thing is, our actions can have unintended and unexpected consequences.\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe using my neighbors wi-fi would be perfectly acceptable.\u00a0 They may not ever even find out.\u00a0 Or maybe by using their connection, I\u2019ll cause them to drop an important skype call, or they will miss out on a connection with their cousin on facetime.\u00a0 Maybe they have left their network open so they can steal personal data from people who use it.\u00a0 Or maybe they have a data limit too and I could put them over!\u00a0 The options are endless.<\/p>\n
It doesn\u2019t really matter if there would be consequences or not.\u00a0 What matters is that I do not have permission to use their connection, and to do so without their permission is theft.\u00a0 Even if it is such a seemingly small and victimless crime, it is wrong.<\/p>\n
Sometimes we need to expand our perspective and look outside of our own borders to find a way to encourage peace in the world.<\/p>\n
Sometimes we just need to look inside ourselves.<\/p>\n
If we work to correct our own misdeeds, we are one step closer to leaving in peace with each other.<\/p>\n
Now I just have to work on all the other things that I am guilty of wrongdoing in.<\/p>\n