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How Technology is Ruining Our Lives.
For the most part, when people talk about technology, they focus mainly on its benefits.
We all know that technology has some advantages but if we would be truthful to ourselves, we can say that it has caused more harm than good.
I particularly like the way Prince Ea talks about technology in one of his spoken word poems titled Why I Think The World Should End. He says:
“Technology has given us everything we could ever want and at the same time stolen everything we really need.”
Why I Think The World Should End— Prince Ea
This for a fact is the truth. In case you’re still wondering how technology is ruining our lives, this is how:
It makes life easy by making us lazy
Gadgets have made life easier but they have also succeeded in making us lazy. Lazy, in the sense that the things that we need to do in order to keep fit on a daily basis, have been replaced by machines.
There seems to be a quick fix to almost everything: hence we rely heavily on machines/ gadgets to our own detriments.
Do you wonder why older people who aren’t exposed so much to technology are stronger and healthier than the “technologically advanced” youth? I believe it’s because they prefer the “old school” way of doing things. Examples are : walking a certain distance instead of entering vehicles, sweeping instead of vacuuming, washing clothes instead of dry cleaning and so on.
Agreed, these equipments save time but in the process of doing that, they cost us some benefits.
Technology has succeeded in giving us comfort but has laced it with sickness. It has provided short-cuts to problems but has deprived us of patience.
We have access to free flow of information but our privacy has been invaded . It has made it possible for us digitally connect but has made us physically isolated.
Houses no longer breed families; they breed strangers —each one in their own world as their eyes stay glued to the i-pads, laptops and phones.
Indeed, technology has taken everything we could ever want. And at the same time stolen everything we really need.
It creates unnecessary competition and causes excessive spending
Gadgets are gradually ruinng our lives and the manufacturers do not seem to care. Understandably because they are more interested in making money than they are about the effect it has on consumers.
There is always an upgrade— a latest edition— more expensive than the last. Let’s take the TV for example.
Once upon a time, TV was in black and white. Then it was upgraded to a color TV, then it began to come in various sizes and now what do we have: the plasma TV. This one also comes in various sizes and prices.
People compete to buy the latest version of any gadget even if nothing is wrong with the previous one. Many times, this is done not truly because there is need for such but mainly to keep up with the trend— the status quo. It applies to everything: phones, cars and many other devices.
This kind of expense isn’t necessary. What is even worse is the fact that in another three months, a new edition will be out. There goes another unnecessary expenditure.
Read also: Modern Day Problems: The Sad Side Of Social Media
Crime rates are higher
Technology has played a major role in the increase of crime rates. Now thieves find it a lot easier to hack into people accounts. The theft of people’s hard earned cash, identities and assets just got easier. They have been many cases of internet scams.
Again many people have met their untimely deaths as a result of technology. An example is cyberbullying. As a result of cyberbullying some people have committed suicide.
Also, since technology has made it possible to interact with people on a wider scale (including strangers), many people have fallen victims to rape, kidnaps, blackmail and sex slavery.
It is an addiction
Gadgets have become addictive. Computers, TVs and smartphone are the main culprits. Many people would literally die if anything happened to their gadgets.
The rate at which people are over dependent on gadgets is alarming. To know that there was a time when these items weren’t available and we did just fine without them. But can we really blame such folks?
Technology has made it possible for all information to be stored in one place. Expectedly, should anything go wrong, it could drive one nuts.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, technology just like everything else, has a positive and negative side. We cannot entirely do without it but we also don’t have to be completely dependent on it. Wisdom and discipline should be applied.
