I have done this before, cold turkey for weeks at a time. (Out of necessity, not willpower: I was sequestered in the South American jungle.) I thought it was a really healthy and beneficial experience. I rediscovered what it meant to read books, actively entertain myself, and have lengthy conversations with people. It's not possible to carry on this way in my everyday life, but those habits have persisted even as I plugged back in. I mainly use the internet for research and writing e-mail now. Five-hour YouTube binges are (mostly) a thing of the past.<p>To anyone who has misgivings about the toll that being online 10+ hours a day takes on them, I encourage you to step back, take a look in the mirror, and really ponder your online habits. Compulsive internet usage has all the hallmarks of clinical addiction, but strangely almost nobody acknowledges it as such. Like any addiction, beating it will improve your life.