Introduction
Over the previous few decades, communication as well as information technologies have undergone significant changes. All indications are that technical innovation and the use of information technology will accelerate. The dropping cost of connection as a result of both technological advances and more competition has followed and encouraged the massive development in the capability and use of modern information technology. They benefit people through ways such as corporate operations and society’s functioning, yet innovation and information systems have negative effects too.
Over the last three decades, technology has been so ingrained in the culture that avoiding it has become nearly impossible. People appear more linked due to it, either through phone conversations, webcam talks, or even social media. This connection is risky because society is more distracted now. The key themes explored in the cited papers support the preceding assertions. According to the referred articles, overuse of modern technology has significant adverse effects on users, however, this essay explains how technology has a great advantage when used well.
“Stop Googling. Let’s Talk” by Sherry Turkle
The individuals can compare the worldview to a small town through the use of technological gadgets. While in America, it is simple to be updated on what is going on in other countries. It is possible to communicate with someone in any part of the world. Smartphones and other technological devices have revolutionized the way people communicate nowadays. People are so engrossed in their phones that they are oblivious to what is happening around them.
Moreover, teenagers now have 1000 Facebook connections and not enough real-life friends. Turkle (2015), the author of “Stop Googling. Let’s Talk,” New York Times article takes advantage of the opportunity to teach parents and youngsters how constant access to the internet is harming the current world. Devices are altering both the already done things and the personality of individuals. Turkle used logical and emotional justifications, strategic wording, and structure to persuade the targeted demographic that ubiquitous internet access displaces face-to-face communication. He used the reasoning appeal to get the audience to consider that their phones are a part of everyday life. She states, “89 percent of cell phone owners said they had used their phones during the last social gathering they attended; 82 percent of adults felt that the way they used their phones in social settings hurt the conversations” (Turkle, 2015, para 3). However, people are still relying on these devices for communication.
Humans have evolved to be more successful than animals since their advanced brains allow them to bond and collaborate in more intricate and diversified ways than other creatures. There are concrete facts demonstrating how technology transforms how individuals find new knowledge and how they interact. Humanity’s trademark is examining the way the world works, conceiving how it may be better, and bringing that vision into reality. In addition, therein lays the problem’s answer; humans can control violence as well as promote social harmony.
People have engaged collectively for millennia to punish and humiliate violent antisocial behaviors such as bullying and abuse. Even the most well-intended personal challenge on social networks, where the bully is distant and camouflaged, may devolve into a shouting battle. Face-to-face interaction promotes social harmony more than social media interaction. Mobile phones have a wide range of applications and, although being introduced only two decades ago, have had a significant societal impact throughout the world. One can converse with anyone globally at any time, watch their favorite television show, and receive notifications, so they do not have to recall things themselves.
“How Smartphones Hijack Our Minds” by Nicholas Carr
Having so much power over people’s lives, one cannot help but think about the negative implications of cell phones. “How Smartphones Hijack Our Minds,” by Carr (2017), explores the ramifications of permitting smartphones to have a massive impact on lives. Carr starts his discussion with some figures, claiming that the average smartphone user checks their handset over 80 times each day or about 30,000 times per year. He compares cellphones to instructors, secretaries, confessors, and gurus, describing them as continuous friends. He discusses how these technological gadgets can negatively affect people’s minds. This is evident in the statement, “So what happens to our minds when we allow a single tool such dominion over our perception and cognition?”(Carr, 2017, para 4). Phones are helpful for many reasons and chores, and people should consider the lesser-known implications of cell phones, which they so readily let take control of their lives.
While using their smartphones, people appear happy while texting and conversing. If split up into brief spurts and fast emoticons, a discussion is still a dialogue. Observing someone’s face during a swift text message chat reveals many emotions, anticipation, laughter, and affect. Students can also communicate with instructors from home and study all the material from the internet. They can complete a research project that used to take so much time due to books, in just a few hours. Interacting happily and saving time is healthy and a great benefit.
There have been accusations of becoming shallow due to internet use as people are skimming rather than reading, and they are no longer able to participate deeply in a topic. It is clear that the internet has turned individuals antisocial and that they have lost their capacity to speak. The amount of information lost and time wasted is determined by how the user utilizes the internet. Journalists and academics have lamented the negative impact of smartphones and the internet on human interactions for over a decade. People are said to be lonely and isolated, less engaged, and suffering from a broader range of mental illnesses due to new types of technology.
The government had previously said that individuals could make a difference in the world’s health crisis. Working from home and contacting friends through cellphones can assist in flattening the curve. The author asks if using technology to communicate is a lousy substitute for face-to-face conversation. If modern varieties of technologies isolate people, one would wonder why governments issue regulatory directives ordering citizens to remain at home while discouraging socializing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, overuse of modern technology has significant adverse effects on users, but it is of great advantage when used well. The advent of technology has had an impact on society in both positive and negative ways. People all around the globe use as well as benefit from today’s technology, which has opened up a slew of new opportunities in a variety of industries. Many instruments people require in their daily lives have become easier to obtain through technological advancements. However, excessive use of it, primarily when the population cannot regulate these devices, is a problem that can have significant ramifications for human development.
References
Carr, N. (2017). How smartphones hijack our minds. The Wall Street Journal. Web.
Turkle, S. (2015). Stop googling. Let’s talk. The New York Times. Web.