Introduction
- Arthur C. Clarke (1984), a prolific and influential author, once said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is equivalent to magic” (180).
- Experiences of technological “magic,” especially in health, production and manufacturing, and the automotive industry, are outstanding. Today, technology raises controversial debates on balancing its usefulness and the level of harm it imparts to society. It is essential to know and understand the various ways technology affects humanity, whether positively and negatively.
- There are myriad points on either side, but some of the major ones include:
- Reliable and fast communication,
- Restructuring and improving education, and
- Unhealthy lifestyles versus advanced health care.
First Main Point
Technology facilitates better, fast, and reliable communication. Communication is a central tenet of growth and development in society.
- The evolution of cellular networks enhanced global participation through fast data channels.
- As the pinnacle of global forces, technology has provided instant communication from all parts of the world (Ohlin, 2019). Moreover, it has expanded communication to reach a vast audience at the same time. Billions of people interact through social media platforms.
- Electronic devices such as smartphones, televisions, and radio devices foster the quick and convenient transfer of messages and information. Over long distances, they are more suitable than the physical delivery of messages through letters and face to face conversations.
Second Main Point
Technology has structured, remodel, and adjusted the framework of education.
- Through the new avenues of communication and collaboration, technology increases educational opportunities. Today, people access research materials and relevant information on their handheld or portable devices.
- Students are not restricted to physical classrooms and can take part in projects, share ideas, and participate in new learning ways.
- Technology has diluted the passive student-teacher relationship and enabled independent learning where the teacher serves as a guide rather than the source (Cloete, 2017).
Third Main Point
Technology has magnified unhealthy lifestyle choices but has also improved health care delivery.
- Technological resources such as the internet and television have reduced physical activity. People stay indoors, lying in bed or seated, watching televisions, or scrolling their phones.
- Sleeping behaviors have been significantly altered as increasing sleep latency is alarming due to electronic media consumption (Exelmans & Van den Bulck, 2015). Research also shows that technological devices that give unlimited internet access tend to fuel mental disorders such as depression and anxiety, especially in adolescents and young adults.
- Such improvements as the digitization of health records, automation of some medical processes, telemedicine have improved health care delivery by reducing costs and easing the workflow. Therefore, world statistics have recorded a significant decrease in mortality rates.
Conclusion
Technological impacts in modern society contain confounding advantageous and harmful effects.
Within a relatively long list, the following are highly considerable:
- Technology has perpetually eliminated some barriers in communication and fostered speed, reliability, and convenience. Consequently, it has been instrumental in creating global networks.
- Through technological advancements, education systems have experienced a paradigm shift. Learners have limited access to educational tools, educational materials, and new ways of learning.
- The exponential increase in population is highly attributed to better health care, which is improved by technology. However, a large percentage of the population suffers from lifestyle diseases and mental disorders fostered by other technological developments.
Technology is highly volatile, but people can use the existing information of its impact on society to influence how future advancement can be adjusted to meet admirable developments. At the baseline, innovators should focus on ensuring that there is no point that technology runs out of control or becomes a threat to human existence and other life forms on earth.
References
Clarke, A. C. (1984). Profiles of the future: An inquiry into the limits of the possible. Henry Holt and Company.
Cloete, A. L. (2017). Technology and education: Challenges and opportunities. Theological Studies, 73(3), 1−7. Web.
Exelmans, L., & Van den Bulck, J. (2015). Technology and sleep: How electronic media exposure has impacted core concepts of sleep medicine. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 13(6), 439−441. Web.
Ohlin, C. L. (2019). Information and communication technology in a global world: Teachers’ perceptions of continuing professional development. Research in Social Sciences and Technology, 4(2), 41−57. Web.