The extraordinary advances of technology in the 20th and 21st centuries have brought numerous benefits, most of which we now take for granted. For instance, people can easily travel around the world in a matter of several hours, which is now just “another everyday triumph for technology” (Weiten et al., 2018, p. 1). However, the unparalleled progress in technology seems to exacerbate the social issues and personal concerns of a modern man. Thus, the paradox of development and technology consists in the fact that new opportunities inevitably involve unprecedented challenges and problems.
First of all, it is necessary to point out that most modern technology achievements focus on time-saving. Indeed, all inventions, such as computers, mobile phones, household devices, and others, facilitate one’s work and thus free up a considerable amount of our lifespan (Weiten et al., 2018). For example, we can be present in several places simultaneously and perform real-time multitasking functions.
Nevertheless, modern people are always busy and feel desperately in a hurry. Nowadays, the time has turned into “a precious commodity” (Weiten et al., 2018, p. 2). Instead, technology has also given us very time-consuming leisure devices, such as television (Weiten et al., 2018). As one can easily observe, the outcomes of technological advances contradict their initial objectives. The reason for this contradiction is that saving time has become a goal in itself. In other words, people have forgotten how to use the spared moments for themselves and their families.
Moreover, due to technology, modern people have vast opportunities in terms of financial well-being and quality of life. As a result, our demands for goods and expectations from services have dramatically increased. Consequently, the abundance of technological advances has fostered “an insatiable thirst for consumption” (Weiten et al., 2018, p. 2). However, the researchers found that this pursuit of material prosperity does not bring people genuine happiness (Weiten et al., 2018). That is to say, material affluence does not necessarily involve satisfaction but rather triggers an endless race for an ever-increasing fortune.
Furthermore, the progress of technology has given us plenty of life choices. These possibilities of choice pertain to not only tangible goods but also our relationships and lifestyles (Weiten et al., 2018). At the same time, this freedom involves unexpected problems, since it brings uncertainty, “potential for rumination, post-decision regret, and anticipated regret” (Weiten et al., 2018, p. 3). In other words, a modern man experiences an enormous amount of stress in a seemingly beneficial and carefree environment. Hence, a man’s control over technology is delusive, since we obey the urges of progress rather than our internal needs.
Thus, technological advance is a paradoxical phenomenon, since it is both beneficial and extremely challenging for our lives. The expansion of opportunities has led to the devaluation of genuinely precious things, such as our personal life, relationships with our dear ones, and the feeling of self-fulfillment. Therefore, it is necessary to reconfigure the system of values, reallocate the saved time, and use it prudently to retrieve emotional comfort and life satisfaction. It is a priority task for the 21st-century society to regain control over their inventions and start appreciating one’s spared moments. In such a way, people will not fall victim to a time crunch due to technology and will enjoy their lives again.
Reference
Weiten, W., Dunn, D.S., & Hammer, E. Y. (2018). Psychology applied to modern life: Adjustment in the 21st century. Cengage Learning.