Aren't we too much into technology?

Technology is all around us. Right from the electricity which is consumed every day as a staple to the most advanced technological advancements, all forms of technology affect our lives in one way or the other. Too much dependence over technology has always been a cause of concern, however, a lot of benefits are also associated with it. The paper is aimed at understanding the dependence of society on technology and weighs the benefits against the negative consequences of addiction.

The Problem

One may often wonder what would happen if there was no internet. What if no smartphone existed? The society is so much into technology that people may not afford not having everyday gadgets and high-speed internet connectivity. This may sound scary but the fact that the society, day by day, is becoming dependent on technology, cannot be ignored. For most of us, irrespective of the place we are at, checking our cell phones at regular intervals of time is mandatory. We are often at the fear of a dying battery. When we talk of technology, however, the fact that there are a lot of associated benefits, two cannot be denied. The real question is: have we gone too far? Can we handle the crashing of our computer, i-pad, our smartphone? Can we handle disruptions in internet connectivity? The benefits that come with technology are often outweighed by addiction.

Technology and Human Behavior

The society seems to have gone too far in technology. People seem to crave for the newest technology. Our lives have been affected positively as well as negatively by it. Gadgets seem to be an extension of oneself and it is very difficult for people to part from them. Imagine giving your cell phone for repair without having a stand by. The feeling of emptiness without having the gadget around is a clear indicator of sheer dependence on technology. Gone are the days when people would sit together and chat for hours face to face. Social media has taken over. One cannot imagine a weekend with no television or smartphones around. Technology, which once used to be a luxury, has now become a necessity.

We often hear words like technology detox. This is a therapy that doctors recommend to ease the discomforts associated with addiction to technology. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as a period during which a person does not use electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, I-pads, etc. to reduce stress and be able to focus on social interaction in the real world. Change is the primary characteristic of technology. A better and superior advancement in technology periodically comes up and replaces the existing one, and this one is faster and smarter. For instance, a cellphone we buy today may get obsolete after a year. Similarly, when one boasts of having windows 8 on his computer, his friend gets a 10, six months later.

Earlier, the kids liked playing outdoors and spent a lot of time with parents and friends. They would either go out and have fun with friends or stay in and share stories. These evenings, however, are obsolete. A large population of kids today prefer playing computer games and watch stuff on a smartphone. They have got no more time for parents or friends.

The present generation depends too much on technology. Following are the symptoms that illustrate the point:

A slow internet connection

There are times when, in offices, the internet connection is down, or very slow. This results in having to do nothing for the day. Though this may be good news for the employees, the same would prove to be unproductive for the organization as most of the work depends on a stable internet connection. This includes file servers, email services, and other company soft wares.

The absence of mobile phone

A phone is the most personal gadget that we own. When it comes to technology, our sentiments are significantly related to our personal smartphone. People tend to check texts, WhatsApp messages, and other social media notifications from time to time which affects their work output. This sort of addiction to technology leads to a decreased concentration and minimized actual social interaction. This also leads to issues creeping within families which, in the long term, pose a threat to the overall human development as a social being.

Technology has caused a lot of changes in basic human behavior in terms of deleting the thin line between luxury and necessity. People have started being stressful over issues such as a discharged phone. Dependence on technology has led us to a point where we need to ponder whether everything is all right. We need to reconsider our approach towards technology. It is important for the humans that they consider technology as a means to reduce work and consequently the physical as well as mental stress. However, when technology itself starts taking over an individual, causing him to stress, the very purpose of it miserably fails. The choice is in our hands. It is time that we appreciate technology for its benefits, at the same time we must be disciplined enough to turn it off when it starts intruding the basic living sense.