Academic Essay: How Technology Affects Life Today

Alexea Maria Negrete
Monday Jan 7, 2013
College English Academic Essay

How technology affects life today Some say technology is taking over and that products are beginning to become eye candy. Learning how to use a computer is just like learning how to ride a bike. Once you learn how to peddle, balance, and slow down, the rest is as simple eating a piece of cake. It’s something that just about everyone is capable of accomplishing, and it is also completely necessary in today’s society. It's easy to say 70 percent of people or more rely on computers or some sort of technology for everyday situations. But some also believe that technology may one day destroy children's ability to learn effectively. I as a young adult being surrounded by technology on a day to day basis feel the same way. Therefore I have come up with multiple reasons stating why this may be a downfall for children and our future. Despite the fact that our generation will be using computers for many years to come, this does not justify any sort of reasoning for children to start using computers at a younger age or lower grade level than what may typically be normal. By letting these children start at a younger age all we are doing is taking away their imagination and destroying their natural creativity. It is one thing to be computer savvy and naturally creative, but to influence and encourage young children to develop a mind set which relies on technology to be creative for them is just carless and pathetic. The world needs creativity, uniqueness, versatility, and natural bold minds, but with technology taking over potential for naturally skilled children seems to be diminishing by the minute. These types of skills whom employers will be looking for will soon vanish as time goes on. The computer introduces a structured type of mindset and thinking that is unsuitable for a child, diminishing their unique potential. Spelling and grammar checks, for example, destroy a child to even learn or develop writing skills the natural way. Another way children's ability to learn is being destroyed is through text messaging. Cell phones have been an extravagant invention, but they also have major downfalls. This modern form of communication has not only taken over the old fashion face to face interaction, but it has also taught children to write in a certain fashion. For example "Yo watsup" meaning hello what are you doing? or what's going on? Children are becoming accustomed to expressing themselves in a certain written form due to the ease and rapid control of text messaging. As the advancement of telecommunication has increased the quality and depth of interacting has decreased enormously. It is essentially causing a shift in the way children are developing socially. Texting is starting to replace talking; facial expressions and body language are lost as well. With this being said, I believe that we shouldn't push our children to technology as soon as they begin to speak, and read. I am in no way saying that technology shouldn’t be used overall but, I do stress that it is used as minimally as possible when it comes to young children. I’d be one of the last people to set my laptop down being that I am a Graphic Design major, but like many things, using technology should be done in moderation.