Society Is Becoming Too Dependent On Technology
With the increasing advances in technology, certain aspects of people’s lives have changed significantly. Through the use of computers and handheld devices, people are now able to do so much at the touch of a button. Furthermore communication between individuals and businesses has become more convenient. Despite the points noted above, there is a solid argument that society is becoming increasingly dependent on these devices which have had a negative impact on some individuals and the society as a whole; thereby creating problems which are difficult to overcome. However, technology is not the problem but the way it is used; the benefits of technology have been misused by people and have made technology seem like a threat to humanity. It has separated individuals from nature, thereby diminishing their natural self and when people are out of touch with nature, they tend to misbehave. All the same, these problems can be overcome.
As personal computers proceed with their advancements, programming is taking over modern day occupations in various fields such as accounting and medicine, engineering and law. In medicine excessive promises have been made about how technology will improve care and cut costs. According to Carr, recent studies of digital record-keeping and diagnostic systems show that they actually tend to inflate medical services costs, while having no quantifiable effect in the quality of patient outcomes. Furthermore, the pervasiveness of technology has also influenced the education sector in different ways.
Today's students not only have computers to assist them with their academic work, they have easy access to research tools while teachers use these innovations to enhance the impact of their lessons. Schleicher pointed out that students who make use of computers very frequently at school do not perform well in most learning outcomes, even after accounting for social background and student demographics. The outcomes of the demographics additionally demonstrate no apparent improvements in student accomplishment in reading, mathematics or science in nations that invested a lot in information and communication technology for education.
Proceeding onward to mobile technology which was a mystery two decades ago but now, it has now become a thing of necessity in both the rural and the urban areas. The mobile technology started as an exceptional accomplishment in the world of technology however at this point, it is transforming into user comfort technology due to its present diverse functionality. The portable innovation is rapidly evolving and over the years, they have been gradually replacing some similar sources in the market that are likewise utilized for communication such as post offices and land lines. This has reduced the amount of face-to-face interaction and the number of genuine telephone conversations that individuals have, thereby breaking bonds that were so important. It is much easier to send a quick text as opposed to engaging in a phone call. Despite the fact that this efficiency is certainly a benefit, there is value to the chatter that is currently becoming lost.
“The real danger we face from computer automation is dependency”. The tendency to expect that technology gives an adequate substitute to their very own insight has made a lot of people too anxious to even think about handing essential work over to programming and acknowledge subordinate jobs for themselves. Johansson (2018) claimed that the inordinate utilization of mobile devices has been linked to anxiety and depression, as well as other psychological health issues which could be explained by a variety of influences.
For instance, the steady bombardment of information can leave an individual feeling numb to the present reality, and being fixated on digital interactions can deny them of genuine relationships. She also stated that the constant use of mobile phones to take photographs, make videos, or take notes can weaken people’s memory. The exact mechanism at work here is not known, but it is believed that because the mind recognizes that the information is being stored somewhere else, it is less imperative to recollect it; so it does not devote the psychological assets to recalling the information. Furthermore, using a cell phone or any other device regularly to restore or improve a skill may likewise gradually diminish an individual’s ability to access that skill. That is to say, a person who often uses a cell phone to explore areas in the city may never figure out how to read a map or explore without the guide of a GPS gadget.
Johansson (2018) explained that the cost of becoming dependent on technology at its most extreme is an individual’s mental health, their cognitive capabilities, and the future of innovation. In other words, to mitigate technology dependence, individuals and groups have to assume huge roles. As an individual, that implies curbing the time spent on electronic devices, and relying on intellectual abilities as much as possible and as a group, it implies opposing the compulsion to acknowledge any innovation as guaranteed, or as the new standard. Technology is a magnificent thing and there is no doubt that everyone is currently living in the age of technological advancements. Be that as it may, there needs to be a balance. To do this, idle moments have to come to a halt. It is usually during idle moments that people tend to reach for their phones, just as the famous proverb “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop”.
Individuals should learn to not act on impulse especially when the first impulse when they get a quiet moment is to reach for their mobile device. They should make a list of things to do during idle moments which can be more meaningful and relaxing instead of going through their mobile devices all the time. Another way of curbing these problems is by planning breaks away from these devices. That is to say, people could focus on taking a break for about 15minutes on weekday afternoons, amid which time they turn off their cell phones and put it out of sight and out of reach.
Finally, all notifications should be turned off. The smartphone is the world’s smallest slot machine, it operates on a variable ratio reinforcement schedule just like a slot machine used in gambling. Simply turning off the notifications will make a person less liable to look at their device at regular intervals. However, despite the points noted above, there is a solid argument that being reliant on certain aspects of technology isn’t the same as being dependent. Yes, it’s a good thing to admire these gadgets and technology, but too much of it can leave one stressed or strung-out. Now imagine if someone got stuck in the middle of nowhere, with no internet connection whatsoever. It may be shocking to know that a good number of people would have absolutely no idea how to navigate on their own because of their dependence on global positioning systems.
All in all, the decision stays in their grasp. It has to be agreed that the general public is being carried away by the increased developments being presented in their lives today. The balance needed is to acknowledge technology since it has its benefits, yet additionally have the discipline to turn it off when need be to experience life in reality.
References:
- Braff, D. , 2016. 7 Ways to Break Your Technology Addiction [online]. Mentalfloss. com. Available from: http://mentalfloss. com/article/87375/7-ways-break-your-technology-addiction [Accessed 17 Feb 2019].
- Carr, N. , 2015. 'Are we becoming too reliant on computers?' [online]. The Guardian. Available from: https://www. theguardian. com/books/2015/jan/17/nicholas-carr-are-we-becoming-too-reliant-on-computers [Accessed 17 Feb 2019].
- Johansson, A. , 2018. We need to reduce our dependence on technology if we want to keep innovating [online]. The Next Web. Available from: https://thenextweb. com/contributors/2018/07/25/we-need-to-reduce-our-dependence-on-technology-if-we-want-to-keep-innovating/ [Accessed 17 Feb 2019].
- Leonard, K. , 2019. What Are the Positive & Negative Effects of Using Technology to Communicate? [online]. Smallbusiness. chron. com. Available from: https://smallbusiness. chron. com/positive-negative-effects-using-technology-communicate-21241. html [Accessed 31 Mar 2019].
- Schleicher, A. , 2015. School technology struggles to make an impact [online]. BBC News. Available from: https://www. bbc. co. uk/news/business-34174795 [Accessed 31 Mar 2019].
