Introduction
Technology has become an integral part of our lives and has made many tasks and activities easier, faster, and more efficient. We rely on technology to do everything from shopping to communicating with friends and family. While technology has made life easier, some argue that we have become too dependent. This essay will explore the effects of our reliance on technology and discuss whether we are too dependent on it. Due to our excessive dependence on technology, we have seen a degradation of important skills, the rise of specific health issues, and a decline in face-to-face interactions, resulting in the realization that our dependence on technology is too significant.
Adverse Effects of Technology Dependence
Decline in Critical Thinking and Creativity
One way our dependence on technology has negatively affected us is by reducing critical thinking. Technology has made it so much easier to access information that people no longer need to think deeply or analyze the information they are presented with (Small et al., 2020). This reliance on technology has caused us to become less creative and analytical. We are no longer required to use our brains to connect information or develop new ideas. Instead of thinking through a problem, we can rely on technology to provide answers. This has led to decreased critical thinking skills, which can harm our personal and professional lives.
Rise in Physical and Mental Health Issues
Another effect of our over-reliance on technology is an increase in health issues. People who spend too much time in front of screens can suffer from a variety of physical and mental health issues, such as headaches, eyestrain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and obesity (Baghla, 2018). Additionally, spending too much time on technology can lead to a lack of physical activity, which can, in turn, lead to further health issues.
Behavioral Changes and Emotional Dependency
Moreover, technology has negatively impacted us through behavior. We have become too reliant on technology to make decisions, judge, and even feel. Take, for instance, the use of social media platforms. Most social media platforms are designed to create a feeling of satisfaction and dopamine reward (Pantano & Serravalle, n.d.).
Yet, individuals have been quick to replace that feeling with real-life experience. Instead of focusing on real-life issues, people have become engrossed with virtual likes and followers. Studies have shown that excessive use of social media correlates with problems with attention, lower self-esteem, and poor impulse control, to name a few (Bartosz et al., 2022). It has also been linked to addiction.
Erosion of Face-to-Face Communication
Finally, our over-reliance on technology has led to a decrease in face-to-face interactions. People can communicate and link up with others around the globe, yet many have become isolated (Johnson & Wetmore, 2021). The need for constant communication from others has reduced, and some people have swapped face-to-face communication for text messaging, even when the communication is unnecessary.
This has reduced the ability and willingness to interact with people on a human level (Johnson & Wetmore, 2021). Some people may know all the details of their friends’ lives, but they cannot converse with them if they are to meet in person. This social disconnection has led to a rise in mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
Conclusion
In conclusion, our overreliance on technology has had several adverse effects, such as losing important skills, increased health issues, and decreased face-to-face interactions. These effects lead to the conclusion that we are indeed too dependent on technology. To ensure our physical and mental well-being, we must balance using technology and engaging in activities that don’t involve technology.
References
Baghla, A. (2018). A Study of the impact of technology on society. Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education, 15(10), 1-5.
Bartosz, G. Żerebecki, Suzanna, J., & Opree, T. (2022). The direct and indirect effects of social technology use on children’s life satisfaction. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 34.
Johnson, D. G., & Wetmore, J. M. (2021). Technology and society. Building our sociotechnical future (2nd ed.). United Kingdom: MIT Press.
Pantano, E., & Serravalle, F. (n.d.). The role of smart technologies in decision making: Developing, supporting, and training smart consumers. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.
Small, G. W., Lee, J., Kaufman, A., Jalil, J., Siddarth, P., Gaddipati, H., Moody, T.D., & Bookheimer, S.Y. (2020). Brain health consequences of digital technology use. Dialogues Clin Neurosci, 22(2), 179-187.