--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We often think the Internet enables you…" description: "\"“We often think the Internet enables you to do new things … But people just want to do the same things they’ve always done.”\" — Nir Eyal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/nir-eyal-1258_internet_we-often-think-the-internet-enables-you_636879.jpg" --- # We often think the Internet enables you to do new things …… ![“We often think the Internet enables you to do new things … But people just want to do the same things they’ve always done.” quote by Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/nir-eyal-1258_internet_we-often-think-the-internet-enables-you_636879.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/nir-eyal-1258_internet_we-often-think-the-internet-enables-you_636879.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/nir-eyal-1258_internet_we-often-think-the-internet-enables-you_636879.jpg) > ““We often think the Internet enables you to do new things … But people just want to do the same things they’ve always done.”” [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People assume new technology changes behavior, but habits stay the same, just on a new platform. **In simple terms:** Tech doesn’t change what we want to do. Key Takeaway Recognize habit patterns before adopting new tools. Themes habit technology behavior change Mood reflective cautious Type observational pragmatic When to use this quote - productivity - digital detox - app design - marketing strategy Key Concepts behavioral design habit loops Questions to Reflect On - How do your current habits translate to online behavior? - What habits would you like to change before using new tech? A Different Perspective New tools can reinforce old bad habits if not examined. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [New things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-things/) ## Related quotes > [What's profound and exciting is the way young people are taking advantage of the fact that the Internet enables everyone to have a megaphone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-clinton/what-s-profound-and-exciting-is-the-way-young-people-are-taking/) [Chelsea Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-clinton/) > [Being on the road, the Internet enables me to interact with people in some way. It's not so much interacting with my fans -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-allen/being-on-the-road-the-internet-enables-me-to-interact-with-people-in/) [Lily Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-allen/) > [The Internet enables us to share the ideas we have without having to create another hierarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-borg/the-internet-enables-us-to-share-the-ideas-we-have-without-having-to/) [Anita Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-borg/) > [“I want the things most people don’t notice. The ring and the key and the way you have of wearing everything on the inside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/i-want-the-things-most-people-don-t-notice-the-ring-and-the-key-and/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [If you want the things people don't have, you have to do the things other people will not do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/if-you-want-the-things-people-don-t-have-you-have-to-do-the-things/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [I want to do things for people they will never forget. Maybe that’s the best thing I can do in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-van-booy/i-want-to-do-things-for-people-they-will-never-forget-maybe-that-s/) [Simon Van Booy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-van-booy/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [I think the Internet has given rise to voices that want to attack others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-zucker/i-think-the-internet-has-given-rise-to-voices-that-want-to-attack/) [Jeff Zucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-zucker/) > [I think the Internet has real potential for building community. People all around the world talking to each other can't be a bad thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-brown/i-think-the-internet-has-real-potential-for-building-community-people/) [Greg Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-brown/) > [I think the Internet is the greatest invention since women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-think-the-internet-is-the-greatest-invention-since-women/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I think that the Internet is really cool because a lot of young feminists don't feel like they have to reinvent the wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/i-think-that-the-internet-is-really-cool-because-a-lot-of-young/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [I think that the Internet is going to be one of the major forces for reducing the role of government. The one thing that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-think-that-the-internet-is-going-to-be-one-of-the-major-forces-for/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [I think the Internet is right on time. I think it's very important. It's reaching out to millions of people. Even the most slimiest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-think-the-internet-is-right-on-time-i-think-it-s-very-important-it/) E-40 > [I think that the Internet is our most profound and beautiful achievement. It is magnificent. We have the Internet as a layer of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/i-think-that-the-internet-is-our-most-profound-and-beautiful/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [The Internet is just a bunch of servers and broadband cables and routers that traffic data around the world. But I think now the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ostrow/the-internet-is-just-a-bunch-of-servers-and-broadband-cables-and/) [Adam Ostrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ostrow/) ## More by Nir Eyal > [“Imagine a time when your mobile phone rang but you didn’t answer it. Why not? Perhaps the phone was buried in a bag, making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/imagine-a-time-when-your-mobile-phone-rang-but-you-didn-t-answer-it/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [“For an example of how perception of a limited supply can increase sales, look no further than Amazon.com. My recent search for a DVD…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/for-an-example-of-how-perception-of-a-limited-supply-can-increase/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [“all humans are motivated to seek pleasure and avoid pain, to seek hope and avoid fear, and finally, to seek social acceptance and avoid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/all-humans-are-motivated-to-seek-pleasure-and-avoid-pain-to-seek-hope/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [“The more users invest in a product through tiny bits of work, the more valuable the product becomes in their lives and the less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/the-more-users-invest-in-a-product-through-tiny-bits-of-work-the-more/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [“Twitter The “feed” has become a social staple of many online products. The stream of limitless information displayed in a scrolling interface makes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/twitter-the-feed-has-become-a-social-staple-of-many-online-products/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [“Once a technology has created an association in users’ minds that the product is the solution of choice, they return on their own, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/once-a-technology-has-created-an-association-in-users-minds-that-the/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [ “Instead of asking ‘what problem should I solve?’ ask ‘what problem do I wish someone else would solve for me?’”\[cxxxi\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/instead-of-asking-what-problem-should-i-solve-ask-what-problem-do-i/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [“Storing Value Unlike physical goods in the real world, the software that runs our technology products can adapt itself to our needs. To become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/storing-value-unlike-physical-goods-in-the-real-world-the-software/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [“From the follower side of the equation, the more Twitter users curate the list of people they follow, the better the service will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/from-the-follower-side-of-the-equation-the-more-twitter-users-curate/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [“When bored, many people seek excitement and turn to dramatic news headlines. When we feel overly stressed we seek calm, perhaps finding relief in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/when-bored-many-people-seek-excitement-and-turn-to-dramatic-news/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [“Remember and Share - Action is the second step in The Hook. - The action is the simplest behavior in anticipation of reward. -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/remember-and-share-action-is-the-second-step-in-the-hook-the-action/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [Habit-forming products often start as nice-to-haves, but once the habit is formed, they become must-haves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/habit-forming-products-often-start-as-nice-to-haves-but-once-the/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [“Experiences with finite variability become less engaging because they eventually become predictable. Businesses with finite variability are not inferior per se, they just operate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/experiences-with-finite-variability-become-less-engaging-because-they/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [Fogg states that all humans are motivated to seek pleasure and avoid pain; to seek hope and avoid fear; and finally, to seek social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/fogg-states-that-all-humans-are-motivated-to-seek-pleasure-and-avoid/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [“Stack Overflow’s content is created voluntarily by people who use the site. A staggering 5,000 answers to questions are generated per day by site…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/stack-overflow-s-content-is-created-voluntarily-by-people-who-use-the/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) [Explore all 262 Nir Eyal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) ## More Internet quotes > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [I enjoy upsetting the right people. I love poking fun at earnest censors. I want to push the bounds of what can be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/i-enjoy-upsetting-the-right-people-i-love-poking-fun-at-earnest/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [Though 'Fat City' was written long before cellphones or the Internet, its human apparatus is state of the art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/though-fat-city-was-written-long-before-cellphones-or-the-internet/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [Note to self: If you do not know how to spell a big scary spiders name, DO NOT look it up on the internet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-eisele/note-to-self-if-you-do-not-know-how-to-spell-a-big-scary-spiders-name/) Becky Eisele > [I remembered reading about a disease called Leishmaniasis, which matched my symptoms. I'd always thought it was an old wives' tale - a sand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fogle/i-remembered-reading-about-a-disease-called-leishmaniasis-which/) [Ben Fogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fogle/) > [The Internet lets thousands of total strangers collaborate to produce a truly hivelike result.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-thompson/the-internet-lets-thousands-of-total-strangers-collaborate-to-produce/) [Clive Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-thompson/) > [People are reading more and writing more because of the internet. So the virtual world is a way for me to listen to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/people-are-reading-more-and-writing-more-because-of-the-internet-so/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I don't have faith in the Internet, I have faith in people connected through the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gilliam/i-don-t-have-faith-in-the-internet-i-have-faith-in-people-connected/) Jim Gilliam > [The internet is very democratizing in some ways, but it also has other effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-internet-is-very-democratizing-in-some-ways-but-it-also-has-other/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [One of the Internet's highest-profile companies, Priceline once dreamed of transforming the way consumer goods are bought and sold by offering customers the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/one-of-the-internet-s-highest-profile-companies-priceline-once/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [Use Google Before Asking A Stupid Question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muskaan/use-google-before-asking-a-stupid-question/) [Muskaan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muskaan/) > [“Some innovations just don’t attract enough economic or social demand: just as supersonic flight and manned space flight stagnated after the 1970s, today (in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-j-rees/some-innovations-just-don-t-attract-enough-economic-or-social-demand/) Martin J. Rees > [Moveon is not a one-way broadcast media. The Internet, when used best, is a two-way media. We have a forum in which people can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-blades/moveon-is-not-a-one-way-broadcast-media-the-internet-when-used-best/) [Joan Blades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-blades/) [Browse all 9,049 Internet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We often think the Internet enables you to do new things … But people just want to do the same things they’ve always done.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nir Eyal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/we-often-think-the-internet-enables-you-to-do-new-things-but-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Internet" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/we-often-think-the-internet-enables-you-to-do-new-things-but-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/nir-eyal-1258_internet_we-often-think-the-internet-enables-you_636879.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/nir-eyal-1258_internet_we-often-think-the-internet-enables-you_636879.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca9/nir-eyal-1258_internet_we-often-think-the-internet-enables-you_636879.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We often think the Internet enables you to do new things … But people just want to do the same things…” — Nir Eyal", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nir Eyal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We often think the Internet enables...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/we-often-think-the-internet-enables-you-to-do-new-things-but-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/we-often-think-the-internet-enables-you-to-do-new-things-but-people/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```