Effect of Technology

Rapid technological change has shaped the world we live in today. Far from having a positive influence, living in a hi-tech world dependent on computers and mobile devices has distanced us from what is really important in life.
How far do you agree?

The technological breakthrough we have experienced in the recent years, has dramatically altered the way we live. But some people claim that the downsides of living dependently on hi-tech devices far outweigh the upsides of it; because, it is a distraction from the important things in life. It has long been my belief that, living in such a hi-tech world has many disadvantages as well as advantages.

To begin with, there has been significant progresses in many sectors, such as health, engineering, education etc., with the advancing technology. Over and above, the fact that we can quickly reach any information we need in very short space of time has made our lives more practical and easier. But I shall argue that this is not the whole picture. Technology has taken so much from our lives that it is hard to decide whether it is a positive influence or not.

It is certainly the case that innovations in information technology have led to a decrease in social activities and relations in people’s lives. In today’s society, cumulatively, more and more people stay indoors, in front of their computers rather than going out and it leads to unsociable lives. Plus, people started to prefer talking on the internet or texting by cell phones as it is the quickest and easiest way to communicate. Consequently, face-to-face relationships started to vanish and unrealistic relationships - especially the ones which are built via the Internet - started to be formed. But on the other hand, long-distance relationships are maintained and people had the chance to meet other people from around the world as the technology developed.

Another negative aspect of the situation is that people become more materialistic and value status and money all the more, because of the desire to acquire the latest technological gadgets. As a result, “throw-away society”, a more materialistic world, and crazy consumerism have stemed from the recent technological advances. Hence, less importance is given to social values, which should have been the most important.

On balance, technology has made our lives easier but I strongly believe that the prominent values are to be forgotten and a more materialistic and unsocial generation is waiting on the queue because of it.