The world today is more dependent on technology than ever. Over 90% of Americans today own a computerized gadget (Gahran, 2011). People receive email and text messages on cell phones, order fast food online, cars can park themselves, and even when we are driving, the traffic lights are controlled by a centralized computer system (Greenman, 1998). But what is all this access to technology doing to humans? What would we do if our high-tech gadgets failed us do to a wide-spread lack of power or cyber-related attack? The fact is that people of become so dependent on technology that they aren’t prepared for service interruptions. With non-disaster related blackouts up 124% since the early 90’s (Patterson, 2010) and disruptive weather patterns on the rise, people should begin to take steps to break their dependence on technology, or at least have better planning in place when the things do go dark. We should also be more aware of what information is available about us online. The most damaging information is often information released willingly, with little regard for who is viewing it. People are too dependent on technology related services for communication, internet commerce, and social media.
Technology has had a huge effect on the way people communicate. Many people have traded the convenience of a wired phone in their homes in favor of only cellular phone service. In fact, a study in June 2010 showed that more than one in four homes only has cellular service, up from 13.6 percent in 2007 (Blumberg, 2011). It’s not just urban areas that have seen in increase in cellular service, every state in the US experienced an increase (Blumberg, 2011). Electing to only subscribe to cellular service is dangerous because cellular phones require frequent charging to function. Additionally, the cellular towers must have