Negative Impact of Technology in Our Lives

Technology is associated with advancement. It involves ideas being transformed into something beneficial. Innovation is not confined to organizations and creative people, but also involves the scientific talent and availability of technology. Innovations and technology are synergistic. Technology has certainly transformed our lives both negatively and positively.

When we look back in time, we realize just how much our everyday life has changed because of the fruits oftechnology. It has given us freedom and less usage of resources and time. Mentioning a specific technology for the drastic changes in one's life is just impossible. The economic growth of a nation can be gauged based on the technology level. The reason being several factors are responsible for affecting the lifestyle of a person. 

The mobile phone is the most effective piece of technology, and today being equivalent to a civilization. Because of technological changes, the dependency upon reliance on technology has multiplied greatly. Some innovation takes place at such a speed that they become self-defeating. 

As time passes, the use of the internet is increasing at a fast rate. The Web literally connects more than 700 million people globally. The revolutionary technology has improved our educational standards and also the way of communication. Because of the advancements in technology, a person can gain knowledge regarding any topic anywhere and at any juncture in his/her life. Technology has permitted education to be easily available. It has even created means to meet our needs and to fulfill our expectations. Advancements in the world of technology today can help us to find the solution to urgent issues.

The advancement in technology has given rise to online databases, discussion rooms, chat rooms, and personalized web pages. The Information Technology field has totally changed the outlook of human interaction with instant messaging, e-mails and video conferencing. With the arrival of technology, people are building bridges to reduce the distances in their mind. One basic disadvantage, which has occurred, is that people are becoming lazy because of high technology trends. This is restricting our ability to pay attention. Computerization, robotics, and automation are on the go for transforming our lives.

 

Imagine if somebody pulled the plug on our technology? Would products still be drafted by engineers? Would business come to a standstill? Would we still be able to process an order or ship a product? Would our financial transactions stop? The answer, unfortunately, is Yes. This underlines the obvious reliance we have developed on our technology and is cause for alarm. People are getting driven by technology instead of the other way around.

Perhaps the greatest difference between the 20th and the 21st century is the way technology has changed the pace of life. We expect to interact with anybody on earth in seconds, not days. We want to be up and walking soon after a knee or hip replacement. We expect information at our fingertips. Generally speaking, we take a lot for granted.

To illustrate, we would like to solve issues instantly and have no patience for lasting solutions. As a result, we tend to attack symptoms rather than tackling true issues and apply Band-Aids to soothe the moment rather than tourniquets that are actually required. We are content with fixing small issues rather than overcoming major problems. In my opinion, we have a tendency to live for today, instead of making future plans. This way of thinking concerns me a lot.

Technology lets us accomplish a lot of things, which are not wise to do. It gives us round the clock communication and entertainment choices. Embracing such options without limitations; however, is most unwise. At best, we would end up wasting precious time which could have been better spent elsewhere. Or worse still, we can subject ourselves to unpleasant mental influences that negatively affect our thought processes.

How does technology affect our daily life?

Over the past 20 years, technology has gradually taken over our lives. Take some time to look around you. How many screens can you see? Did you include the one you are reading this on? 

Do you think that latest technology has made life harder and more unsafe? Or do you think latest technology has made life safer and easier?

Technology nowadays has made life quicker and easier but dangerous. As we look at modern technology, questions are raised. That brings to mind, what are technologies? Modern technology is systems that make life less difficult. For instance, microwave ovens prepare food with ease without the need of stoves and making a huge mess. And dishwashers place all messy dishes into the dishwasher and it washes them. These dishwashing machines are user-friendly and save you time compared to the old fashion way. 

How is technology hazardous? The answer is simple. There are a lot of incidents where you will find the breakdown in technology. For instance, should there be an issue with a car then the car will not run, or if there is a technical error in a train computer system then the train would most likely dysfunction and this may lead to a crash. Most people detest the creation of technology. Technology also causes financial issues in families since most technologies are extremely costly to purchase such as home theater systems, televisions, DVDs, computers, and refrigerators.

We have all heard our parents and grandparents say that when they were young everything was different. Everything was different and so was technology. They did not have the latest iPad or even iPhone because, obviously, they were not around. Even those born in the 90s did not have technology at a young age. In our youth days, we played outside outdoors rather than staying indoors to play on our phones. 

If back then we had the technology we have today, we would miss out on family time and a lot more. Furthermore, technology has come in between human relationships. Whether it is snap chatting each other or sliding into a girl's DMs to the point where you develop a friendship, technology has come in the heart of nearly every relationship. Have you ever contemplated how technology has truly changed our lives? Here is how?

Is technology making us shy?

What's changed? Our way of living has.

Latest research into the rise in reported shyness amongst adults has resulted in the theory that our increasingly technological lifestyles are causing us to be shyer than in the past.

Children no longer leave the house to play with friends in the street. They sit indoors spending time with their Xbox or computer. They usually only communicate with their friends in the school playing field for short intervals during the day. These kids see very little of their parents, who are working long hours to maintain their lifestyles.

Socializing is a behavior we learn. We must practice getting along with others. There are lots of rules that must be learned. However, children are not getting lots of practice at it nowadays. And they are exhibiting a lot more signs of social phobia and shyness. These shy children turn out to be shy adults.

What does that imply to Leaders? It means that people who follow them, their business associates, their employees, their 'tribes', are getting much less able to communicate comfortably with one another. They are becoming professionals at technological communication: twitting, phones, emails, texting: and other social media. However, when you try to get them to work as a team, the issues emerge.

The way we parent

Recalling the good old days when we were being raised is a memory tour worth taking, in an attempt to understand the problems facing kids today. Barely two decades back, kids used to have fun outside all day, building forts, riding bikes and playing sports. Imaginary game masters, kids of earlier times made their own form of play, which did not need parental supervision or expensive equipment. Kids of earlier times moved a lot and their sensory world were simple and nature based. Previously, family time was usually spent performing household tasks, and kids had expectations to fulfill every day. The dining room table was a focal place area where families gathered to chat about the day and eat, and after an evening meal became the center for homework, baking, and board games.

Families: Families of today are different. The impact of technology on today's family is fracturing its very foundation, and leading to a collapse of core values that back then were what held families together. Juggling home, work and, community lives, parents currently depend more on transportation, communication, and information to help make their lives easier and faster. Entertainment technology (iPods, the internet, television, video games,) has advanced so fast, that families have hardly observed the considerable impact and changes to their family lifestyles and structures.

Kids: As kids are connecting increasingly to technology, society is noticing a disconnect from themselves, nature and others. As little ones grow and form their identities, they often are not able to discern whether they're the "killing machine" seen on video games and television, or simply a lonely and shy small child needing a companion. Addiction to video game and television is creating an irreversible global epidemic of physical and mental health diseases, yet all of us find excuses to continue. Where a century ago we needed to move to stay alive, we are currently under the belief we must have the technology to stay alive. The catch is that technology is destroying what we love the most; connection with other people.

The crucial time for attachment formation is ages 0 to 7 months. Connection or attachment is the formation of a primary bond between the growing baby and parent, and is vital in developing the safety and sense of security of a child. Healthy attachment creation leads to a calm and happy child. 

The neglect and disruption of primary attachment lead to a child that is agitated and anxious. Overuse of technology by families is gravely having an effect on not only early attachment formation, but also impacting negatively the behavioral and psychological health of a child.

Negative use by teenagers: Each day an average teen spends as much as 8 hours on electronic gadgets, which is over 56 hour a week. How much is too much? Technology is evolving each minute of each day. New computers, phones and other electronic gadgets are improving and outperforming last year’s or even last week’s gadgets.

 

Teenagers are obsessing over owning the best and latest Ipod, phone or computer. Since teenagers are using technology gadgets daily, they are beginning to isolate themselves from friends and family while limiting their communications skills. Modern technology is continuing to develop; but it is as a result affecting young people.

Young people are still trying to discover who they are and make an identity for themselves. Technology, particularly those images that they see on television and on the internet, has a major impact on this. Pictures on television and on the internet perpetuate ideals as normal for body image and behavior. Some research has revealed that teenagers and children take their cues from such things. Also, things like alcohol and drug use and abuse are depicted as “cool” on TV and on the internet, which results in more teenagers and kids getting involved in these activities.

While mobile phones can be an effective way to contact somebody, teenagers are using them in an obsessive way. Additionally, teenagers are becoming hooked on technology, which makes them isolated from the physical world. Young people mainly interact through Facebook, texting or online chatting.

Not only are young people not paying attention while in class; they are also taking the “text language” into their actual writing assignments. 40 percent of young people insist that they have used text shortcuts in schoolwork like “LOL” (that is short for “laugh out loud”). Slang and abbreviations designed for texting doesn't follow proper English grammar. Since young people are often texting, they subconsciously employ this language in schoolwork. The teenager texting language is limiting their written communication and vocabulary skills.

Though technology innovations are improving the world, young people should be cautious to avoid the negative effects. Young people have to avoid addiction to electronic devices and isolation from friends and family. Rather, young people must engage in verbal communication more often. To prevent electronic distractions, young people should follow state laws and school rules. Phones must be set aside during school activities or while driving. Lastly, young people must use proper English grammar as much as possible during formal writing assignments. Knowledge of the effects and attempting alternatives will help young people enjoy technology innovations in a positive way.

Also, the web has a huge user base of the young people. They devote lots of hours online and on social media sites. The teenage boys and girls communicate with one another for hours. They converse on the adult subjects and parents are not even aware of it. It's very destructive for their thinking and for their future. Additionally, they watch the adult content online. So the web has very adverse negative effect for the teenager users.

The way we date

Just how is technology putting a bamboo stake in the heart of romance? Technology revolutionized through the years. Our parents and grandparents often would insist that the time they young, they did not have the technology that exists at present. Those born in the 80s did not have a hold of technology until the middle 2000’s and modern technology has today reached the point of destroying couple’s relationships. Generally, your Facebook account and smartphone will make you single forever. It sounds serious!?

Whom do we call a friend? Is he/she somebody who likes and comments on our posts? Somebody who tags you in videos and photos? With social networking spreading across the globe, new websites are being created with new features. With live chatting and video calls, it appears like our entire world is only a click away. Although countless users have registered for these websites; are people becoming social?

Nowadays, we see that people have many friends with friend lists comprising multitudes of friends. However, are they really our friends? Over 50 percent of ‘friends’ on our list are the ones whom we have never even chatted with, communicated with; a few percent as well consist of the ones we have never even seen! According to the dictionary, a friend is somebody who is connected to the other living being by personal regard or feelings of affection. Even our pet is our friend although it is not present in our friend list. I concur that these websites help us to be connected with our close ones; however, people have today forgotten this and they believe that ‘this’ is their home.

People nowadays find it simpler to chat as opposed to talking to a person. Usually, I hear complaints from my folks and my sister that I’m not giving them plenty of time. Nearly all the time, am just sitting on GoogleTalk or Facebook, although nobody is there to chat with. Always, I keep expecting people; however, I never realize that there are those who are waiting for me outside this world of social networking. Perhaps, I have even lost a couple of good buddies so as to make few new ones. Perhaps, this social networking has really made me unsocial.

Social media websites can make it harder for us to differentiate between the important relationships we build in the real world, and the many casual relationships created through social media. By concentrating a lot on our psychical energy and time on these less important relationships, our most essential friendships will become weak.

Social media websites encourage people to become more public with regards to their personal lives. Since intimate information of our lives may be posted with ease, users are likely to bypass the filters they may typically use when discussing their private lives.

In addition, the stuff they post remains available forever. While at one time a picture of friends doing shots at a bash might sound harmless, the picture might seem disgusting in the context of an employer performing a background check. Whilst many websites permit their users to manage who sees the stuff they have posted, such limitations are usually overlooked and can be hard to control or do not work as well as advertised.

Scientists found that one in three people interviewed felt worse (“angry, lonely or frustrated) after spending time on Facebook, usually because of perceived meagerness when comparing themselves to friends.

Everybody has his/her own set of ideas and beliefs that we try to live up to. In our everyday life, we communicate with a limited circle of friends. But sharing these ideas over sites such as Facebook can lead to spreading of this information with people that we wouldn't want to have shared with. This might even end being disastrous for our relationship with those people.

How we watch television

Gone are the days of dining room table conversation, replaced by the "big screen" and fast food. Kids nowadays depend on technology for most of their play, grossly limiting challenges to their imaginations and creativity, and also limiting essential challenges to their bodies to attain motor development and optimal sensory. Inactive bodies flooded with chaotic sensory stimulation, are causing delays in achieving child developmental milestones, with the subsequent effect on basic foundation skills for attaining literacy.

Hard wired for top speed, children today are entering school suffering from attention skills and self-regulation needed for learning, ultimately becoming significant behavior management issues for teachers in the classroom.

The way we interact

Days are gone when people used to pick up of the phone or go over to someone’s house to chat. The internet and smartphones have replaced conventional chats with virtual ones.

If you look around, probably, most people you see are bent forward in the direction of the glow of their tablets and phones. Perhaps they look up once in a while so they do not stumble and fall on the sidewalk, or every once in awhile to check the time; however, whatever is streaming on their digital displays is absorbing them in some kind of hypnotic trance.

Nowadays, restaurants are jam packed with people more enthusiastic about the pixels on their electronic gadgets than those around them. Parents are scrolling through emails, children are watching television episodes, and even waiters are texting while in a free moment between orders. I have even seen a couple sitting across from one another, where they are both are using their iPhones as they play separate video games on their iPhones. Perhaps the date went sour, I do not know, but was as though they were further apart although they were physically so close together.

How in the world did we reach a place in which the content on our handsets is important than the world around us? In our society, today, scrolling through Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter has taken priority over the real events scrolling through our daily lives. In only a few decades, we have gone from corded handsets mounted on the wall to smartphones that have the whole of the Web in our very pockets. There is no foretelling where we will be in another decade; however, for the time being, we are becoming increasingly absorbed in a digital network, which is webbed into all aspects of our everyday lives.

Social media is now our major way of communication. It is easier to look somebody up on Facebook compared to calling him/her or physically staying in touch. The need to catch up with old buddies or get together for coffee has been replaced by Facebook, since their whole life stories are literally displayed in front of our faces, to the point where it gets difficult to miss. However, isn’t that what social media entails: staying in touch with others, and sharing photos with friends without the need to really go out of our way?

Yet, as we become even more socially connected with the rest of the globe, we are getting more disconnected from one another. We are losing out on little things around us since we are so preoccupied with Buzz Feed article, or the latest YouTube video on our handsets. I am not saying that we ought to quit reading or watching, but we must recognize the fact that what we're doing is changing the manner we communicate with our friends and loved ones. Think about it this way, we are telling our grandchildren (via texting, or whatever the equivalent is in the future), as to what verbal communication was once like? The reality is that there is no way of knowing where our generation is going when it comes to technology and our dependence on it.

Limits physical interaction with other people

The time spent engaging in face-to-face communication, has been replaced by socializing on the internet. The human element of communication has been taken out. Why head out for a chat over a drink with one friend when you can stay home and interact with many friends at the same time? By removing the need to interact on a face to face basis, we have taken out all of the benefits that go along with it, like, the sound of laughter, the sight of a smile, having the ability to read the emotions of another person, and the feel of a touch.

These are all very real human qualities that people have to interpret and express from others from time to time.

Privacy problems

Technology has transformed the manner people communicate, connecting humans in a real-time network around the world. But technology has also changed communication in lots of ways, and a few of them are not for the better. While a few of these negative effects are somewhat minor, in some instances they have had serious effects on the health and lives of users.

While social networking can provide lots of benefits to society and to teenagers more specifically, it may be argued that it has also changed our culture into one of over-sharing. Take for example; we happily put our information and photos on our ‘page’. But we are little aware that we are usually posting details that we might probably never have revealed in real life. In case you boast about internet privacy, it is a well studied fact that your "friend's list" is enough for anybody to get most of the information about you, which you may not normally reveal. So, be careful.

In addition there is a lack of privacy with regards to relationships. It appears that everybody knows when a couple is having problems since one or both of the individuals’ tweets something concerning the other. This invites everybody to be part of our private relationships. This may result in problems in the relationship since it can bring up pressure from outside influences. So if we maintain our private relationships properly, private, then a lot of sources outside will not be affecting the way you deal with your matters.

Additionally, communications you send over the web might be insecure, enabling third parties to intercept instant messages or read email conversations. If an outsider is able to compromise an application or an email account, he/she might gain access to months or even years of communication. Encryption may help keep communications secure from prying eyes; however, protecting every link in the social communication chain is hard work. Malware authors are even starting to target mobile devices and phones, recognizing them as always-available windows into the personal lives of the owner.

Negative effects on health

So, what is behind this link between use of technology and negative health symptoms? Scientists haven't yet fully established why users of heavy technology are more likely to suffer from mental health, sleep conditions and higher stress problems?

The relationship between modern technology and depression, stress and sleep disorders has more to do with our society overusing technology, particularly among teenagers. Generally, you use technology from the moment you get up (your alarm clock) to the moment retire to bed (soothing tunes).

Easy it might be, however, although technology benefits our lives tremendously, it might go a bit too far.

Our lives have been improved by technological breakthroughs; however, we are getting too hooked on it with on a daily basis. Our love affair with new-age advancements is causing health issues.

The impact of technology on our environmental, mental, social and physical health can be disastrous. Here is how:

Causes depression: The likely negative effects of social media to the health of a person have been a hot subject, lately. You might be asking yourself: Is there any credibility in the notion that logging on can, in fact, be harmful to your health? Based on latest research, there just might be.

When face-to-face communication has been taken away, it becomes easy for many people to use a kind of alter ego to overemphasize who they really are. This may result in an individual comparing their life with other people and utilizing others' posts as measures for achievements and setbacks in their own life. The effect of this might be devastating feelings of low self-esteem, leading to negative 'I am' statements, like 'I could never do that', or 'I will never be able to be like that person’. The negative effects might include:

-People with less social confidence may easily see themselves as having less worth than other people.

-Being continuously reminded that your life might not measure up to a lot of other people can further lower the self-confidence of an individual.

Obesity

Intrigued by gizmos and gadgets, we do not move much and slowly get fat. Obesity is one of the most hazardous effects of technology on health. Obesity is the unsaid unspoken symptom of most lifestyle illnesses from hormonal imbalances to blood pressure and diabetes. So perhaps you should get off that sofa and hit the gym or else you would be too chubby to fit the sofa and stare at that screen. One more reason why obesity is related to technology apart from binge eating while on the laptop and decreased working out is staying up late hours. If you do not want to get overweight or unhealthy, reduce the use of technology.

The way we read

We are now living in an unprecedented period of world history; technology is mushrooming like bacteria. This rapid growth of technology has stretched the likelihood of good and for evil in equal proportion.

We no longer have to carry books if we do not want to. E-readers, smartphones, and tablets have made it simpler for us to carry our books around without breaking our backs.

Leads to isolation

The use of social media messages and text messaging has become a regular occurrence in the society today. Communication on a human level has turned out to be less frequent in the everyday living arrangements of an individual. Thanks to social media sites, communication with others is now easy, and people have isolated themselves behind online identities. Direct interaction has been removed and most of society has been reduced to using abbreviations, which express their emotions. Examples of essential aspects of communication which are falling by the wayside nowadays are: Tone of voice, basic verbal communication, body language, and facial expression. Modern technology has a way of keeping us within a bubble or hardening our shell.

When you are consumed in your email, answering a text or checking your twitter stream, you are not “available” to people close to you. Technology causes it to become too easy to be in a room filled with people, but really be all by yourself. So try to meet five new people every week. Beyond having their names, find out more about their stories, their passions, and their interests.

If you have developed online relationships (e.g. via Twitter), make arrangements to meet face-to-face. The human connection is special and unique.

Learn to appreciate and enjoy your surroundings

When technology takes over our lives, it causes us to take things for granted. We have to find occasions to get away from the world of our inbox and discover the larger world around us. This is a behavior that should be learned and strengthened. Otherwise, we shall be blind to everything if our face is planted in my handset.

The choice is ours. To properly exercise that choice is the moral imperative of the day. We have to master the technology rather than letting it destroy or destruct us. Our job is a lot greater than simply avoiding the awful things. To dwell in a reasonably wholesome balance at this time, we must make some tough choices to keep even that which is fine from displacing the best.

But in spite of these very serious concerns, no one can criticize social media or technology outright. We certainly have the option to log off and unplug whenever we want, so it is up to us to determine if we would like to engage with the virtual world or the real world. Technology is a societal growth that has allowed our generation to accomplish things earlier generations would never have considered possible. With access to the Web spreading all through the world, it has never been more convenient to connect, research, work, and communicate with people the world over, right from our fingertips. So it is not the technology that is the issue; it is us misusing it. We have grown to be antisocial by depending too heavily on technology.

The makers of our technology actually give us help, if we are going to use it. The answering machine can be turned on. The mobile phone can be silenced or turned off. Televisions and computers have on/off switches, so we can properly put them in the "off" position.

Still, we must exercise the wisdom to perform the right turning. How many hours we spend on the computer, or on the phone, playing video games, or watching television, is a crucial moral choice. We cannot make imprudent choices here and get the preferred result for ourselves and our loved ones.

So the next time you are walking down the street or out with friends, make an effort to avoid scrolling through your News Feed. Take time to socialize with the world around you, and become even more acquainted with people instead of profiles. Perhaps, if we look up and away from the flashing colors and pictures on our latest Google search, we will, in fact, enjoy the company of people around us. So rather than counting the number of likes, count the reminiscences in your life, since at the end of the day, that is all that is important.