Over time, as technology advances to automate how we work, what we do in our spare time, and how we do day-to-day activities, many believe it has led people to use their minds less and their cell phones more. However, new research shows the benefits of technological advancement that go beyond the obvious notion that “technology makes our lives easier.”
There is no doubt that there are many things that we don’t have to think about today thanks to technology. Nobody really walks around with a map and a compass as they navigate new cities and countries. Calculators have replaced pen and paper and have increased the time we can solve real-world problems or simple equations. Social media took people away from using telephones or mail to connect with friends and family.
The internet is a great way to learn and research. People can also use it as a support system. Some people argue that kids are dull because they use the internet as a shortcut to learning, while others say it makes them more efficient. This is a misconception, as most kids today do not study. The internet has made it possible for them to find answers. Even if they don’t, this is still a valuable tool for learning. We live in a world where technology has permeated almost every aspect of our life.
But is this really a good thing? Many people who say that technology is densely the children are simply wrong. They argue that it enables them to learn more. However, this argument is based on the assumption that kids are lazy and do not want to learn. They are not actually dumber because they are able to find answers by themselves. Instead, they simply need to be more aware of what information is being offered by different sources.
Technology helps us get to places, solve problems and find solutions, it allows us to think of other things that technology may not be up to speed with yet. Without the aid of technology, we would still be trying to solve the problems our machines and systems can solve in seconds, which will give us less to no time to think of other more complex problems and solutions that can further improve lives and society, in general.
The dangers of using technology to help us survive can be serious. The increased reliance on technology creates consequences when it breaks. For example, “The Knowledge” by Lewis Dartnell explores survival strategies after an apocalypse. The U.S. Naval Academy has begun training officers to navigate by sextants, which used to be the only way to determine where a ship was located at sea. These sextants are now being taught to sailors as backups to GPS technology and give them a better feel for computers.
There are also risks associated with the use of technology in our daily lives. The dependence on technology can increase the consequences if the technology breaks. For instance, increased reliance on the internet and smartphones can decrease our ability to solve problems. Instead of solving complex puzzles, we now rely on computers to give us the answers we need. And this increases our risk of being dumbed down.
Overall, technology has undoubtedly become a large part of everyone’s lives and our society. Although it offers plenty of advantages, it comes with drawbacks such as ruining our productivity, making us insanely lazy at times, and potentially even threatening our long-term health. Yes, every element of technology is designed to be as addictive as possible, but deciding whether technology controls our lives is entirely on us. Although technology will likely never become a smaller distraction than it is today, we’re more than capable of minimizing the chances of letting technology negatively affect our lives.
Sources:
https://www.sanalsavunma.com/will-technology-make-people-smarter/#:~:text=There%20are%20several%20ways%20that,internet%20can%20improve%20your%20memory.
https://www.abmcollege.com/blog/is-technology-making-people-dumber-or-smarter#:~:text=%E2%80%9CDespite%20the%20headlines%2C%20there%20is,research%20co%2Dauthor%20Anthony%20Chemero.
https://medium.com/tech-topics/is-technology-making-us-lazier-1092674f8eee#:~:text=Yes%2C%20It%20Can%20Make%20Us%20Lazy&text=Not%20only%20can%20technology%20reduce,to%20make%20us%20disappointingly%20lazy.