Technology dependence

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We went from writing documents by hand, to typing things up on our laptops and tablets.

The 21st century is all about new technology, and as the years go by,  more and more advanced devices will be introduced into our daily lives.

The way we share information has drastically changed over the past fifty years and humans have been able to adapt to using these new technologies, so quickly, that employers are now recruiting for all these fundamental technology-related skills.

More than anything, technology has especially changed the way people interact and communicate with each other. Whether we do this through Skype calls, smartphones, e-mails or social networks, people seem to have lost or at least put aside the ability to share information via simple face-to-face interactions. Has technology become just an excuse for our laziness?

Secondly, while deeply appreciating the multiple tasks that can be achieved within short periods of time through technology, we also have to consider the great enemies of these advanced systems: break-downs. Our appreciation towards ‘smart’ operating systems seems to come to a halt when people experience unexpected break-downs. An immediate sense of panic is created, and we almost feel betrayed by this machine, which probably stopped working at the most inconvenient moment ever.

This sparks an interesting query as to whether we are really too dependent on technology. The fact that as soon as something stops working, our feelings revolve around the sense of being ‘cut out’ from the rest of the world. We suddenly have no idea how to reach people if our phones stop working, and we become unaware of what is happening around us if we are missing an Internet connection, or the laptop shuts down before us, automatically limiting our informational resources. Another question to think about is: are people slowly forgetting how to really interact with one another?

Technology has evolved so quickly that we are now able to ask our smartphones/iPhones to find street directions, weather conditions, and whatever else we are curious about knowing, just by tapping a single button. The best thing is, the answers do not only appear typed on the screen, but a voice will respond by reading aloud the content.

Despite events like the National Day For Unplugging, where everyone is encouraged stop interacting with any electronic equipment for a day and appreciate the silence around us, we cannot wait to go back ‘normal’ by discovering what we missed in the meantime.

In spite of the great perks of new technologies, we must not forget about completing tasks without these advanced platforms, because if something goes wrong, we need to be prepared.