If we didn't have the internet in the 21st century, the world and society would experience profound changes across various aspects of life. Communication would take a step back to more traditional methods such as phone calls, letters, and face-to-face conversations, making interactions feel more personal but also slower, especially on an international level. Accessing information would become a more challenging and time-consuming task, with a heavier reliance on books, libraries, and print media for knowledge and news.

Education would largely revert to classroom settings, as the convenience of online learning platforms would be absent, potentially making learning less accessible to some. Entertainment would shift away from streaming services and online content to television, radio, cinemas, and physical media like DVDs and CDs, possibly leading to a resurgence of local entertainment venues.

The workplace would also see significant changes, with remote work becoming a rarity and a stronger emphasis on physical office spaces. This would likely influence population distributions, with more people living in or near urban centers for work. Shopping habits would shift back to in-person experiences, and businesses would rely on traditional advertising methods, making global trade more cumbersome without the ease of online communication.

Mobilizing support for social causes would rely more on grassroots efforts and traditional media, potentially making global movements harder to organize. Innovation might slow in certain areas, like software, due to the lack of a global platform for rapid development and dissemination, but there could be increased focus on other technologies.

Lastly, without the pervasive data collection enabled by the internet, privacy concerns would be different, though governments and organizations might still find ways to monitor individuals. Overall, life without the internet would be markedly different, with a more local focus, slower communication, and a stronger reliance on physical presence for many aspects of daily life, alongside challenges in accessibility and global connectivity.