ARE PEOPLE TOO DEPENDENT ON TECHNOLOGY

Are People too dependent on Technology?
Glenda K. Walker
Strayer University
Critical Thinking – PHI 210
December 1, 2014
Professor Earle J. Fisher

Abstract
My question is “Are people to dependent on technology?” My answer is most definitely. Have you ever been to a restaurant and no one at the table is talking, they are all on their cellular devices. I can assure they are texting, checking emails, or playing a game. What has happened to the old fashion way of communication? I can tell you it is a thing of the past and probably not anywhere in the future. My teenage does not call for me at home when he is upstairs, he just texts me. We are in the same house just call my name and I will answer. I find myself in similar situations. I would add things up in my head but now I reach for my cellphone just to do basic math. Do you find yourself in these situations or something similar? Did you know that they can use calculators when taking the American College Testing (ACT)? Back in my day that was not allowed. I also find that students in school use there calculators for test taking. I do not have a problem with this if they are taught formulas to put into the calculator but, I also think they should learn how to do it the long way with pencil and paper. I see some professors checking their cellphones during class, which I am also guilty of. My daughter takes her cellphone to bed with her. I can see the light from under the covers. You would think she was a doctor on call. She cannot live without her cellphone. Oh, do any of you have a face book account, twitter page or instagram account? I know you do. Most of you cannot make it through the day or, should I say an hour without checking one or all of these accounts. I love my cellphone but, sometimes I leave it at home just to be free.
I do understand the quest to expand our knowledge is a basic human trait. Despite much theorizing and research, the ability to learn remains astonishing and mysterious. What we learn builds our knowledge, informs our understanding, and shapes our values and decisions. Learning is vital to individuals and to society. Like researchers and educators, people are interested in what and how we learn. Decker, B., Lankford, E. L., & Scheffer, K. A. (2003) Art education vol. 56 issue1, 25-32. Abstract retrieved from Education Source database: https://web-b-ebscohost.com
Although I agree that we depend too much on computers, I like keeping up with technology. My major is Information Technology. There is nothing wrong with using computers but, do not forget to stimulate your brain because if you do not use it you will lose it. Do a crossword puzzle or read a book, Bible, or your favorite magazine.
Seven signs we are too dependent on technology.
(1) If the Internet is down, work is over for the day. If the internet is down you cannot send emails or contact other employees in writing therefore, some employees are sent home.
(2) Buyer’s remorse is much more common. Some people shop online but, the problem comes in when you are not satisfied with the item and you have to send it back. Like they purchased a bench that was unassembled and they assembled it and would not work for them and they could not send it back because they had put it together. There was no option to send an item back that was assembled therefore, they put it on Craig’s list and sold it for half the price.
(3) You don’t live in the moment. When they tried to record their daughter’s ballet recital the camcorder was malfunctioning. By this time the moment was over. There are so many moments we try to capture on video, only to realize that we’re not experiencing the moment we are trying to capture.
(4) Nobody knows a phone number. If you lost your cellphone and all of your contacts, it’s very possible you’d have no idea how to get in contact with anyone, let alone someone important to you.
(5) You are dreading having to break up with your boyfriend face-to-face. Text messaging is convenient, but when it comes to getting your message across clearly, a face-to-face conversation is not only best; it is necessary.
(6) Brick and mortar stores are going the way of the dinosaurs. These days you can buy most anything online which is more convenient for most people. But, it is causing retailers to close brick and mortar stores all over the country. An eerie recent news story told of Sears’ decision to turn some of its retail stores into massive data centers, a fitting turn of events in this largely digital age.
(7) Without your phone, you feel naked. Technology addiction is a reality these days, with people checking their emails and text messages as much as 30 to 40 times an hour. Technology addiction is no joke. Technology can be a good thing, but too much of it can leave you stressed and strung-out (“Mother Nature Network”). Studies have shown that smartphone usage can lead to catastrophic events such as car accidents, and are a primary cause of poor work-life balance. The balance we need to find is in appreciating and using technology the right way, but still knowing when to turn it off to experience life to its fullest.
Kirschner, C. (2013). Mother nature network. MNN, Retrieved from http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/gadgets-electronics/stories.
We are becoming more and more dependent on technology in our daily lives. Many of the gadgets which are part of our lives are vital to us and we take them for granted. What would happen if we would be forced to manage without them? We use our gadgets to communicate, pay for stuff and finding our way around. To lose your Tom Tom app on your phone could be a disaster. Our lives have thanks to our mobile devices become extremely mobile.
We can move from country to country, and take our work with us and our bank. A good statement for our modern information age would be " My life my mobile device". A lot of the information I use is contained on my phone, lap top and tablet. The rest just seem to be a bundle of codes for accessing information. In a way we are more vulnerable today than we were fifty or even ten years ago (“Bubblews.com”). We have come to rely on technology for almost everything. But our dependency, trust and perhaps even addiction to technology also threaten our lives. What if we were to lose it all after a major local disaster or perhaps a global problem which affected all of us? What would we do and how would we manage? Bliss, A. (2013). Bubblews news. Retrieved from http://www.bubblews.com.
We live in a society dependent on technology. The following compilation of quotes gives you a broad perspective on our use of technology.
"Never before in history has innovation offered promise of so much to so many in so short a time." "We 're changing the world with technology." "The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency." --Bill Gates quotes
"I like my new telephone, my computer works just fine, my calculator is perfect, but Lord, I miss my mind! " --Author Unknown
"The production of too many useful things results in too many useless people." --Karl Marx
"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity."
--Albert Einstein
"All of the biggest technological inventions created by man - the airplane, the automobile, the computer - says little about his intelligence, but speaks volumes about his laziness."
--Mark Kennedy
Sachem, J. (2010). Great technology quotes and sayings. Yahoo Contributor Network. Yahoo voices. Retrieved from http://www.voices.yahoo.com/great technology-quotes-sayings
In conclusion, I am the first to root for technology. It is fascinating to me. The possibilities of learning about technology are endless, and that’s why I find it so interesting. I know emphatically we depend too much on technology but, without it we would not be as knowledgeable as we are today. I know we have some bugs to work out but in the end the good outweigh the bad.

References

Decker, B., Lankford, E. L., & Scheffer, K. A. (2003) Art education vol. 56 issue1, 25-32. Abstract retrieved from Education Source database: https://web-b-ebscohost.com
Kirschner, C. (2013). Mother nature network. MNN, Retrieved from http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/gadgets-electronics/stories.
Bliss, A. (2013). Bubblews news. Retrieved from http://www.bubblews.com
Sachem, J. (2010). Great technology quotes and sayings. Yahoo Contributor Network. Yahoo voices. Retrieved from http://www.voices.yahoo.com/great technology-quotes-sayings

References: Decker, B., Lankford, E. L., & Scheffer, K. A. (2003) Art education vol. 56 issue1, 25-32. Abstract retrieved from Education Source database: https://web-b-ebscohost.com  Kirschner, C. (2013). Mother nature network. MNN, Retrieved from http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/gadgets-electronics/stories. Bliss, A. (2013). Bubblews news. Retrieved from http://www.bubblews.com Sachem, J. (2010). Great technology quotes and sayings. Yahoo Contributor Network. Yahoo voices. Retrieved from http://www.voices.yahoo.com/great technology-quotes-sayings