Lifestyles of billions of people have been changed
dramatically over the past several decades, primarily through technology.
Today, It is tough to imagine lots of things without smartphones or social
media. In this article, firstly, we analyze how technological advancements
contribute the peoples' work to become much more manageable and efficient while
it has a role that makes us weaker in implementing daily responsibilities and
achieve long-term duties since some of the users carelessly exposure themselves
to some adverse side effects. At the end of this article, we will discuss the
people who became too dependent on technology have possibly both
psychologically and physically an enormous impact by deprivation of it, and at
last, we examine when we decided to prevent us from technological flow, for us,
how life will change towards better.
One of the most crucial positive outcomes is bringing
mechanical and mental power to the community. It can be observed historically
in the Industrial revolution. Before inventing machines that use electricity or
fossil fuels, all manufacturing works were provided by humans and simple
machines powered by animals or humans. Furthermore, by developing digital
technology, humans extend their calculation, communication, and vision ability.
For instance, from microscope to telescope, cars to planes, Internet to
simulation software humans fastened and qualified their capabilities. Today, in
almost every sector, such as; upbringing plants and processing them to produce
food, creating new suitable materials, building new generation houses,
education, processing information, and analyzing it, technology has the central
role for human civilization.
There
are also setbacks of technology, which we will discuss more the side toward
people's character and daily life.
Especially children and young, but generally, many people
are too dependent on using technology. Beforehand we stated that technology is
nearly an obligatory part of civilization; however, there are adverse effects
on man which arise from unnecessary use of it in many fields. It may solve our
problems and ease communication or research, but We should approach
entertainment it provides moderately. For instance, following the others and being
in connection with the world is the fundamental role of technology in daily
life, but many people go beyond these critical limits and get lost in the
environment of pleasure on the Internet and social media. There is a risk for
who went into this flow to become an addict by making it habit and part of
life. Unfortunately, this contributes to prevent people from creating new
healthy relationships, and even maintain old ones, cleaning the mind from
distractions, creating new habits, focusing intensely, and a long time. In the
article, It is stated that modern technology is undermining humans' mental
capacities needed for sustained focus since technology such as smartphones and
the Internet increases interruptions, and the brain's inability to multi-tasking,
which is required to respond to constant distractions. (Academy of Ideas,
2017)
According
to Kim, in his book 'The Creativity Crisis,' there is empirical evidence that,
especially among young people, creative quotient has been declined during the
past three decades. Moreover, in another article, this is timely correlated
with digital technology(Stefl and Rohm, 2017). In his book, Nicholas Carr
asserts that the ease of accessibility of infinite pieces of information shapes
our minds to engage in shallow creativity and thought.
Besides,
being always including on the Internet might pluck the bonds of a person with
the reality. (Academy of Ideas, 2018) It gives the person to ability to create
own reality and personality (Zizek, 2015) and ignore the truth. The virtual
world becomes their real via watching futile videos, playing video games,
reading and writing shallowly in social media, and consequently lose control
over themselves.
Despite all the facts, still, we can
decide to change our life by changing our attitude towards the usage of
technology. Otherwise, the default path in which we are might end with despair,
and towards the end of our lives, we will see its detrimental consequences when
we look back. When we discard the technology enough, we will be able to see art
in nature, feel of the will to live by converting mechanical behaviors of the
digital age to authentic ones, see actual relationships with our friends and
relatives. Instead of escaping from facing reality, we should choose the path
which leads us to be human in real sense. Dismissing overuse of technology
brings us back mental and physical energy, which it consumes, and this enables
us a chance to strive for a successful life.
All in all, technology brings mental and physical
facilities to people from the perspective of both personal improvement and
advancing human civilization. However, many people are too dependent on
technology that it is unnecessary. If they could dismiss this unnecessary
usage, they would have a more satisfying life. Everyone has an opportunity to
change their life and start with a new page. It does not have to be a complete
change, but something that gradually and stage by stage we achieve it.
REFERENCE
Carr, N. G. (2010) The
shallows: What the Internet is doing to our brains. New York: W.W. Norton.
Kim, K.H. (2011) The creativity
crisis: The decrease in creative thinking scores on the Torrance tests of
creative thinking. Creativity Research Journal, 23, 4, 285-295.
The article is received from:
"Social Media and The Psychology of Loneliness"
The article is received from:
"Focus, Distraction, and the Impact of Modern Technology"
Received from the speech:
"Slavoj Žižek on Synthetic Sex and "Being Yourself"
Graziadio Businesses review 2017
VOLUME 20 ISSUE 1 "Is the Internet killing your creative potential?"