Since the beginning of existence, humans have used their intelligence to make their life easier. From the invention of tools to the development of machine learning – we have come a long way in the last three million years in terms of technological advancement. Whether we realise or not, the significance of technology in our lives is irreplaceable.
Even though technology has given us gifts like electricity, modern machines and the internet, it has also given us nuclear weapons, security threats and tonnes of sources of distractions. So, what should we call it – a boon or a bane? Let's check out the major pros and cons of technology to develop a better understanding of its implications on our lives.
The Pros of Technology
It offers access to more information:
The emergence of the internet has given us an informational resource that has allowed us to experience different ideas, perspectives, and cultures from all over the world. You can now receive real-time updates of news stories, chat with people from different places in the world, collaborate for peer-to-peer learning, and do much more.
Thanks to this incredible piece of technology, you can access a wealth of knowledge from the comfort of your home. You also have the option to stream the information from the internet on various devices to maximise data consumption.
It helps you save time:
Technology has made it easier for us to complete our regular tasks in less time. You want to travel to a different part of the world – there are different modes of transportation available to you. You want to learn the address of a certain place – you can find it on Google Maps. There are millions of different technological marvels that help us do our everyday job more easily and more timely.
We can now communicate more efficiently:
Over the centuries, we have improved the way we communicate with people around the world. At the time of the industrial revolution, there was more focus on developing better communication resources. This is what led us to the invention of the telegraph. The telegraph inspired humans to invent the landline telephone, which then led to the invention of cell phones. Now we have data-based connections over fibre optics.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, video conferencing has become a common way of communicating with others. Not more than a century ago, letters were the most common means of communication. And now we can talk to people and see them in real time without having to leave our homes.
Technology makes things cheaper:
One of the major advantages of technology is that it makes things available at the best cost. Manufacturers all over the world use different forms of technology to produce more items in less time. When there's enough supply of certain items in the market, the cost of the item starts to dip. Also, due to the availability of various technologies, more and more companies are coming to the market, creating intense competition. This is another reason for the lower prices of things.
The Cons of Technology
It creates dependencies:
There is no denying the fact that we have become too reliant on technology for our everyday work. If our mobile phone or laptop does not work for a day, most of us will start to lose our minds. We no longer try to remember a piece of information as we know we can find it with a simple Google search. Even no longer practice mental calculations since we are too dependent on calculators.
Due to these dependencies, we are witnessing a decline in human capital, creating a higher risk of unemployment in certain industries. Many industries are even considering replacing humans altogether, which is not good news for our future generations.
It has raised some data security concerns:
As more and more people are accessing technology for different purposes, they are actually sharing a lot of data with the tools, applications and services they are availing. From our choices made on an eCommerce platform to our credit card details, everything now is stored on the servers of the top software development companies and app development companies running the platforms, apps, and services.
In case a hacker or a person with ill-intensions gains access to that information, he/she can use it to steal your money from the bank, use your personal information to create profiles for malicious activities and more.
It creates a social disconnect:
While most of us engage in socialising with others on the digital platforms, there's a significant decline in the frequency of making face-to-face interactions with others. Even though we are able to fulfil our needs for communication using the digital means, this digital-only relationship is also creating an intense feeling of isolation, loneliness and disconnect.
This social disconnect can create a lot of problems for an individual's mental health. There's a significant rise in the cases of mental illnesses and disorders as we are increasingly using technology instead of having a real conversation with people.
It can be addictive:
Technology can often give you a rush that is quite similar to what drugs and alcohol can offer when you take them for the first time. You must have seen that people who play video games for hours or binge on movies or web series for hours start to behave differently when they are kept from using these things. Needless to say, technology is a form of addiction which can be quite damaging for us.
There have been several instances where people have not flinched to end relationships over things like video games, smartphones and more. Moreover, fake news or twisted truths that are often presented on digital platforms can lead to some terrible consequences.
In Conclusion,
We all need to realise the fact that technology on its own is neither good nor evil. It is the choices that we, the user, make with these technologies that lead us to the consequences. When we analyse the pros and cons of technology, it is important to note how these pieces of technology are shaping our lives today. Perhaps, the role of technology on our lives lies there.
Olaila Lee a career advisor at a reputed firm in the United States. She also offers Assignment help to students at MyAssignmenthelp.com. Lee loves to travel on the weekends.
