You’ve heard this before: Adults complaining that life has been taken over by computers and social networking, and that we are now walking zombies glued to our smartphones.
The older they are, the more begrudging these techno-critics seem to be toward today’s advancements. But is technology really ruining generations to come? Is it the cause of downgraded personal interactions and values?
When people claim that this world is now dependent on technology, they’re not wrong. As a whole, we’ve made huge steps in the direction of a quicker, smarter world. With a push of a button, you’re able to speak face to face with a long distance relative. You can now send an email in as little as a few seconds from your cell phone. Surfing the internet is now almost identical on mobile devices as it is on desktop computers. However, these conveniences are often critiqued as threats to humanity due to the way it draws us away from real life.
However, when adults treat today’s digital revolution as something regrettable, they forget that technology has changed the world for the better in many instances.
Grandparents and parents alike often are ones to comment about how they lived a good, simple life while growing up without any high-tech luxuries. While it may be almost impossible to imagine living without Facebook at our fingertips, it was once a very doable reality. However, when adults treat today’s digital revolution as something regrettable, they forget that technology has changed the world for the better in many instances.
Think vaccines, medicine and machines. I mention this not to jump to a dramatic and defensive conclusion, but rather to highlight the fact that our lives are measurably better because of technological advances. Just because one does not completely understand the mechanics of new technology, does not mean that it should be rejected completely.
Sure, in the case of mobile technology and the internet, being overly consumed can be unhealthy if it draws you away from loved ones and your daily routine. However, just because we’ve incorporated such tools into our lives doesn’t mean we’re fatally sucked into its realm. While some people are having fits of anxiety over something as small as a text message, others are connecting overseas for the first time in months with their families.
Technology is much too large to criticize as a whole, and isn’t necessarily the enemy— unless you choose to abuse it. In the end, it’s all about balance.
