Critical analysis:When we speak of the impact of technology on society, we always talk about the positive effects of technology and about how technology has made our life easy and convenient. We talk about the Internet as an information resource and a communication platform and conveniently ignore the fact that an overexposure to it leads to an orthodox behavior in the form of Internet addiction. We often discuss how technology has made life easy but easily forget that it has made us overly dependent on it. But have we thought of the impact of technology from this point of view? Let us look at this aspect of technology here.Impact of Technology on SocietyLet’s stop and think of the days when there were no computers and no modern means of transport. Human life was highly restricted due to the unavailability of technological applications. Daily life involved a lot of physical activity.
Life of the common man was not as luxurious as that of modern times, but he was more active. Exercise was integrated into routine physical activities. It was contrary to the inactive and almost dull lifestyle of today, which leaves no time for exercise and fills days with inactivity and laze.
Today we don’t want to, and thanks to the advancement in technology, don’t even need to walk, move around, or exert ourselves physically to great extents in order to get things done. We have the world at our fingertips. World at our fingertips but threat of online predators due to technologyWe think of technology as a blessing to society. I am afraid; it’s not completely as beneficial as it may seem.
The Internet has bred many unethical practices like hacking, spamming and phishing which further lead to various other crimes and also suicide, occasionally. Internet crime is on the rise. This can be seen as recent events in Pakistan where major banks were hacked by anonymous third parties. The Internet, being an open platform lacks regulation. There is no regulation on the content displayed on websites. Parents have no idea what children are watching behind the screens of tablets, laptops and cellphones. Internet gambling has become an addiction for many.
Overexposure to the Internet has taken its toll. In this virtually created world, we can become who we are not, we can be living in form of our accounts even after we die. It looks awkward when we think about it in that aspect doesn’t it? Children are spending all their time playing online and less or almost no time playing on the ground. Youngsters are spending most of their time social networking, missing on the joys of real social life. Here are some common examples to support my arguments: • Communication vs. loss of personal contact due to technologyThink of the days when there were no online messengers, no emails, and no cell phones. Indeed cellular technology has made it possible for us to communicate over wireless media. Web communication facilities have worked wonders in speeding long-distance communication.
On the other hand, they have deprived mankind of the warmth of personal contact. Emails replaced handwritten letters and communication lost its personal touch. With the means of communication so easily accessible, that magic in waiting to reach someone and the excitement that followed have vanished.• Automation vs. overdependence due to technologyMoreover, we have become excessively dependent on technology. Is so much of dependency good? Is it right to rely on machines to such an extent? Is it wise to depend on computers rather than relying on human intellect? Computer technology and robotics are trying to substitute for human intellect.
With the fast advancing technology, we have started harnessing artificial intelligence in many fields. Where is the digital divide going to take us? How is our ‘tomorrow’ going to be? ‘Machines replacing human beings’ does not portray a rosy picture, does it? It can lead to serious issues like unemployment and crime. An excessive use of machines in every field can result in the under-utilization of human brains and unemployment on a global scale.
Over time, we may even lose our intellectual abilities. We do know of the declining mathematical abilities in children due to use of calculators since school. The impact of technology on society is not totally positive.
It is both positive and negative. Technology has largely influenced almost all aspects of our lives. It has made life easy, but so easy that it may lose its charm someday.
One can cherish an accomplishment only if it comes after effort. But everything has become so easily available and convenient due to technology that it has lost its value and fun. There is a certain kind of enjoyment in achieving things after striving for them. But with everything only a few clicks away, there is no striving, there’s only striking and tapping.
With the developments in technology, we may be able to enjoy all the desired luxuries of life but at the cost of losing its priceless taste and joy it rendered with bare hands.Summary:Technology has definitely improved the way we think, and act. It has turned our world into a global village. It has provided us with advantages in multiple fields. It has made our life easier, made it more efficient by making lesser mistakes, has saved the time of limitless people.it has brought innovation in almost every field of life as compared to how they were before. In education, religion, offices, work places, health and medical centers, how laws should be enforced. But it has not only brought us blessings and fruits some technologies drastically affect the economy of countries and affect the entire ecosystem i.
e. industrialization and its byproducts etc. It has made the current generation lethargic. It has created a world of fragments where many have bombs and technology that can destroy entire continents in a matter of seconds.In my opinion, It has done both good and harm, but its use depends on the use of the creator, humans.so we should be careful with its usage and carefully utilize it for the betterment of our world and our society.
