The Life of Technology

  

Is technology taking over society? To what extent are people becoming addicted to technology? Today, technology has been very popular and is becoming more universal. More and more people are becoming dependent on technology compared to the last couple of centuries where there were no electronics. Nowadays, everything involves the use of technology. Although technology can be addicting and have few disadvantages, I do believe technology has made life a lot easier due to the convenience that bring to society.

For decades, watching TV was a regular routine on a daily basis. In the article, “Gin, Television, and Social Surplus,” written by Clay Shirky, he states, “For the first time, society forced onto an enormous number of its citizens the requirement to manage something they had never had to manage before--free time. And what did we do with that free time? Well, mostly we spent it watching TV” (237). But technology was not as popular in the past as it is now. There many television series to watch, but people now don’t just sit and watch TV like they used to. Instead, of waiting for the episode to watch on TV, today technology allows people to watch it online through websites like YouTube, Netflix, and Hulu, whenever they want. For instance, through my own experiences, when I am at work, I often miss one of my favorite TV shows called The X Factor, when I come home from work; I am not as worried about not having the chance to see the episode. With today’s technology I can go on my laptop and search for the episode that I missed on a website called “YouTube” and just watch it on my free time. In this case, this is a good thing because it’s a faster way to access the episode instead of waiting for the show to replay on TV.

It is true that now students are very into the new technology era. In the textbook, A Meeting of Minds, there is an article titled A Conversation “Is Being "Plugged In" Changing Campus Life?” by Liz Williams, Ethan Kolek and Meg Kluge. Ethan states, “Although critics allege that students are less engaged in their campus communities today than in the past, the connections enabled by the World Wide Web, email, chat rooms, and instant messaging allow students to interact with a new, larger community.” (496) For example, teachers in the past gave out assignment sheets for what was going to be done in class on a daily basis. With technology we have now everything is emailed or on a website that can be easily accessed through the internet. Students can also email each other and chat online for free and not have to worry about overpriced phone bills or going over their contract minutes limits with their cell providers.

With all of these technologies that are coming out, most people have become less social on real life, due to social networking. In the article, “Media Overload” written by Stephen Collinson, he says “There has been plenty of speculation on the impact on daily life of fast expanding media. One theory for instance that as people become more and more connected electronically; they are becoming less and less connected personally”(498). Honestly, I actually agree with what Collinson is saying in this quote. Most people in this decade are so used to chatting online to meet new people compared to walking in the streets and meeting or connecting with people at a personal level. For example, there are a couple of web sites where people go to chat and webcam each other like Facebook, Skype, Oovoo, Yahoo Messenger and Meebo. For example, I would meet old high school friends on Facebook. I don’t really know them well enough to hang out or to meet in person, but I still stop by on their page to say “Hi.” No harm is done and we can stay in contact. It’s almost like a high school reunion, without seeing each other in person, you still knows what’s new in and out of their lives as they post comments and picture for friends to view. In this case technologies give us the benefit to still keep in touch with old friends and our safeties.

Although ease and flexibility is what technology has provided to society for school, business, medical science or leisure based on activity, there are a couple of advantages with technology which can help us with globalization. This means that we can share information quickly and efficiently. Countries separated by distance can see and share information all around the world.  Besides that, there are many websites where you can still keep in contact with your relatives who are staying overseas. It’s cheaper because you don’t have to keep buying phone cards all the time. On the other hand, the advantage of technology is that it can be safer for people to chat. For example, if you’re talking to a stranger online, you don’t have to worry about them creeping on you and knowing where you live. Through my own experiences, one of my close friends has moved to Providence, Rhode Island seven years ago. I had lost contact with her. Thanks to Facebook, for the past couple of years, we had finally got in contacted again and had been keeping in contact ever since. This website allows me to write and video chat with her. Therefore, all you have to do is sign up because it’s free, fast, easy, and no cost.

Some of the disadvantages of technology is that it can be very addicting and it can lead to overuse without noticing the changes in a daily routine. Lack of communications and laziness are part of the disadvantages. It’s sad that no one is willing to go out and actually meet or communicate in person anymore. It can also cause students to not focus on their education due to networking and media. It causes people to be lazy and less interactive with the outside world. With all of these technologies that we are experiencing turns into a habit and it’s very hard to cut it off when everything and everyone around us revolves around it. Technology is a new trend and people are going to see and realize that there won’t be face- to- face communication anymore due to the fact that everything will be done chatting online or webcam. But in this case, technology comes in handy because it’s a faster way to communicate with your friends and family and a quicker way to find things.

In conclusion, Technologies are producing changes in our society. Technology has the ability to create shortcuts in the working environment; it makes tasks a lot easier. Today, the advance of technology is convenience. It’s fast and easy. Still, there are a few disadvantages of technology, but the benefit with all of this technology just basically makes our lives better to live.