Let us look at the following facts first:
- The world has a population of roughly 7 billion people. Out of them, roughly four billion people use mobile phones.
- The average number of registrations of domain names each month is around a million.
- Almost 90% of mobile phone users keep the device on their self at all times.
The above-mentioned statements are not random facts. They point at the ubiquitous nature of technology in our lives at present. From our daily lives to conducting business, we rely on technical advancements at every step. Technology has made commuting from one place to another easier, and has given us greater access to better health. However, it has also taken away a fair bit.
In this article, we will look at the benefits and disadvantages of technology.
Pros of technology ?
First, we will look at the positive aspects of technology.
Impact on transport
The invention of the wheel made commuting easier for humans. Over the course of the ages, we have developed technology that has enabled us to move from one place to the other with remarkable ease. Getting to and fro from work is smooth with huge availability of different kinds of vehicles. We can fly from one country to another in a matter of hours. Think how difficult tourism and relocation would be if the appropriate technology had not been invented. Today, manmade objects have reached other planets and satellites in space.
Better medical facilities
The medial field has advanced in leaps and bounds with the invention of new medical procedures. A person struggling to breathe is fitted with the oxygen mask, a simple technology we don’t think twice about. A person with cardiac problems is fitted with a pacemaker, and he can live a comparatively normal life. A person in a coma can be kept alive and treated using a life support machine. An amputated limb can be replaced with a prosthetic, one of the revolutionary inventions in the field of medical technology.
Impact on education
The field of education has benefited extremely by technology. If you are unable to go out of the house, you can still pursue an education via online courses. If you cannot afford books, there are a million free resources on the internet you can take the help of. You can talk to your peers and teachers sting right where you are with the help of phone calls and video calls.
Ease of access
Technology has made everything convenient. If you have access to a laptop, PC, notebook, tablet, or smartphone, you have the world at your fingertips. You can shop online without stepping out of your home; you can call emergency services from your cell phone, and you can even have food delivered to your doorstep. Unique ideas like rating apps have become possible only because of technological advancements, and banking was never easier.
Also read: The Future of Technology
Cons of technology ?
All said and done, however, it would be foolish to say that technology has no adverse effect.
Extreme dependence
Laziness, of course, is a major side effect of technology. The ability to do everything from our couches and not having to step outside has made us all immensely lazy. And this has led to a host of troubles: we have become unhealthier, obesity has become an epidemic thanks to minimal exercise, obesity related illnesses have become rampant, and our cognitive abilities have slipped considerably. As a result, we are slowly becoming more and more inept at handling life, thanks to our extreme dependence on technology.
Threat to security
Since we use technology in such a wide scale, we tend to become complacent and entrust technology with all our secrets. Our cell phones, for stance, usually have various apps, all of them logged in and running. This can range from social media to bank accounts, and this is an eminently dangerous practice. If the phone falls in the wrong hands, your personal information, a lot of highly sensitive, will become public. The consequences are manifold and uniformly adverse.
Military application
Possibly the most dangerous use of technology is in the military field. We have seen the application of advanced technology in the building of firearms and missiles; we built hydrogen bombs and atom bombs, and now the world is under constant threat of a nuclear attack.
A careful perusal of the above essay will show that it is not technology itself that is either positive or negative; it is our usage of the same. Depending on how we apply technological advancements in our daily lives determine whether the invention is good or bad. Just as cocaine was discovered to be used for medicinal purposes but found greater use as a drug, similarly, technological advancements are meant for the greater good, but can turn dangerous in the wrong hands.
Paul Lynne, Editor at ReviewMyThing, brings journalistic expertise to product reviews, offering concise insights across various categories. Passionate about empowering consumers, Paul’s analyses help readers make informed choices. Beyond work, he enjoys travel and gourmet coffee.