Do we rely on technology too much? Read this essay and learn whether people have become overly dependent on technology in the modern world.
Introduction
“Are we too dependent on technology?” is a popular question for debate. Many think that people’s dependence on technology is becoming too much. Others believe that humans are not dependent on technology and that reliance on automation has mostly positive effects. This dependence on technology essay aims to answer whether people have become overly dependent on technology.
Technology is a positive thing. The constant advancement in technology means that the execution of duties is becoming easier. Notably, improvements in the use of technology in the medical field have enabled doctors to save more lives.
How Dependent Are We on Technology?
Similarly, the automation of key processes at the workplace implies that the work environment is not only safer, but productivity is also higher. In fact, it is through technology that parents can stay in touch with their young ones studying abroad. People are now globally connected as a result of using technology. As it is, every action people have to carry out is dependent on technology.
However, the use of technology is raising concerns. First, technology has increased entertainment platforms among particular demographic groups, especially the youths who are constantly hooked on their gadgets for a long time.
Further, the over-reliance on technology is draining the healthy habits that people once used to have, leading to numerous health issues. Under this premise, I concur that people have become overly dependent on technology.
First, the use of technology implies that people are doing less thinking daily. One study has shown that constant use of the brain hinders the development of diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia in old age. In fact, proper brain development commences during early childhood when children engage in games like puzzles. Unfortunately, people in this generation work their brains less than required (Anderson and Rainie 2).
Reasons Why People Have Become Overly Dependent on Technology
Dependence on Technology Leads to Less Thinking
In fact, people take out their calculators even for the simplest of calculations. Juggling one’s memory to remember a friend’s or relative’s number is a thing of the past. People no longer do all the thinking when there are phones with the ability to store contacts. As a result, people’s mental ability is reduced significantly, making them prone to dementia and memory loss as they age.
However, the problem is not the technology; the problem is how people use the technology. Technology is meant to aid processes, increase efficiency as well as productivity, and make life easier. However, people exploit technology by applying it even in simple tasks (Anderson and Rainie 5).
If technology would be applied as a tool other than a means of escaping reality, then its contribution to society would be seen and appreciated. However, people who sit and play video games all day make technology appear like a bad influence, yet some people play these games for relaxation and do productive jobs.
Secondly, through the influence of technology, people have stopped having quality communication with each other. Technology has invaded every aspect of life, making it hard for people to have meaningful conversations.
Dependence on Technology Leads to Less Meaningful Communication
Notably, technology seems so convenient that word of mouth looks pretty unnecessary. For example, two friends in the same room will likely message each other than directly speak to one another. Most people have taken up the use of gadgets like iPhones and iPads, thereby spending a lot of their time on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.
It means that even though people would initially meet and greet, it is no longer possible as they can communicate over the Internet, consequently limiting physical contact. Such an over-reliance on technology implies that most meaningful conversations between people are lost, leading to poor family bonding (Saidam 4).
Nevertheless, reliance on technology is essential in this digital age. The world has evolved into a digital platform, where anybody that has not joined the digital world is left behind on new developments.
Essentially, technology makes communication among people easier and can impact many people at a go without having to do bulk communication. Take, for example, a company doing job advertisements over the Internet. The adverts will likely be spotted and gain more audiences than when placed in a newspaper.
The primary reason for this phenomenon is that the world has evolved into a digital age, where people are slowly getting away from traditional means of communication. Further, social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter save people the costs and inconveniences of traveling many miles to communicate, while it is possible to do so online.
The belief that technology is an essential application camouflages the various dangers associated with its use. It is believed that one way to stay afloat in the world today is keeping with trends of technological advancements and being part of the group. This way, one is kept updated and aware of what is happening worldwide.
Therefore, there is a need to join social sites like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. One downside of operating these sites is requiring personal information before activating an account. Further, one has to link up with their friends and give personal details like their date of birth and location, among others. While adults may exercise dissemination of such information with caution, youths may not.
Thus, it is easier for anyone to get vital information about individuals, stalk them, and manipulate the information for their benefit. Besides, sharing such information should be a private business and not public, as everyone can gain access to you from wherever they are located. Notably, privacy is an essential element of life that is highly violated using technology.
The general population’s health is deteriorating with the advent of technology and the technological age. First, technology is applied for many purposes, even for the simplest tasks. Among the tasks are simple mathematical calculations that are manually feasible.
However, people choose to use their gadgets even when unnecessary because they do not want to leave their comfort zones. Not very long ago, children used to enjoy outdoor games. They would go around playing with other children in their community and, in the process, boost their stamina and immunity. Such interactions exposed the children to social life and various challenges like solving conflicts.
Adverse Effects on Children Dependent on Technology
As a result, these children were smart in life and grew up as better people. It is not the case nowadays; the trend is that young children are exposed to games like PlayStation, gamepads, and joysticks rather than communal games. In effect, the children grow up with low self-esteem and communication problems as they are not used to being around people (Anderson and Rainie 2).
Further, their thinking is limited to themselves, meaning they grow up with selfishness, an inability to make friends, and poor behavioral characteristics.
Despite the negative impact of technology today, its contribution to making life easier and more convenient, as well as its simplicity to use, implies that the role of technology is crucial. One useful technological gadget is the cell phone. About 82% of the United States population is estimated to have a cell phone (Campbell 3).
Positive Effects of Technology
Such ownership implies ease of access to information and convenience in communication. Notably, pressing just a single button on the cell phone would generate a lot of helpful information for the user. For instance, using smartphones means that people can improve their linguistic abilities and ease of messaging, which are now a big part of how people communicate.
On the other hand, all these developments in the world of technology imply that human beings are losing their culture and reality with the world. Nowadays, it seems like people cannot communicate and exist with all the available gadgets, as their use has been extended from official to private. For instance, the use of computers at the office makes work easier.
However, should all the data on official documents be lost in these computers, the companies cannot operate. Secondly, people are so used to communicating through the Internet and over the phones that should these gadgets not exist anymore, they would have difficulty communicating or maintaining touch with each other (Saidam 5).
As it is, individuals have made it seem like life would end should these gadgets be absent. On the contrary, people in previous generations would communicate and maintain constant touch with each other before the gadgets were developed.
While people would use their thoughts, get into discussions, and convene to solve pertinent issues, nowadays, people surf answers to every need. The dependency on computers has made people highly vulnerable to losing their identity (Saidam 5).
Culturally, people lose track of who they are and what is acceptable for them. A lot of cultural dilution occurs with the use of technology, like the Internet. Ideally, people start to adopt what they see online and practice it in their daily lives (Anderson and Rainie 5).
For instance, some people tend to envy the Western ways of doing things more than their traditional outlook on life. Ultimately, individuals act and behave the same with the proliferation of values.
Despite the convenience created by technology, people have become too dependent on technology. Everyday life activities are managed through technological gadgets and applications. People now rely on alarms to wake up. Phones are used to check the time and for constant communication throughout the day.
Conclusion
Once people get to the office, they log into emails, respond to them, and later log onto social networking sites, where they spend the better part of the day. Ideally, individuals check up on their friends and families through instant messaging on Facebook.
Once they know they are fine, they hardly create time to visit them. In fact, the type of communication between families and friends is diluted to fit social circles. Back at home, children hardly go out to play because they are constantly engrossed in their play stations.
The consequence is that the children have poor social skills, perform poorly in school, and have limited problem-solving skills. People hardly put their brains to the task because they mainly rely on technology to carry out simple arithmetic functions. Individuals are growing old and suffering from memory problems, all because they exploit the application of technology and become over-reliant on technology.
Works Cited
Anderson, Janna, and Lee Rainie. Millennials will Benefit and Suffer Due to their Hyperconnected Lives. Washington DC: Pew Research Center, 2012. Print.
Campbell, Marilyn A. “The Impact of the Mobile Phone on Young People’s Social Life.” Social Change in the 21st Century Conference, QUT Carseldine, Brisbane, 2005. Print.
Saidam, Sabri M. On Route to an E Society: Human Dependence on Technology and Adaptation Needs. 2004. Web.