The Dependency Of Technology

The Dependency Of Technology Throughout history, mankind have been developing different types of technologies that allow him to simplify and enhance his lifestyle, since ancient times humans were developing new technologies to help them in activities to use a smaller amount of time and more do it more easily. Over the centuries, these rudimentary technologies were improved, and new ones have emerged in some cases replaced earlier technologies and others who came to meet new needs. These new technologies introduced at the same time, changes in the socio-cultural practices; therefore the world has begun to be characterized mainly by presenting a rapid development of technologies that enable the ease of communication. But the very rapidity of these has also generated a significant impact on society; this can be observed in the young people who excessively use specific technologies such as cell phones and the Internet, to the point that we are talking about a possible dependence of these new tools. The technology se ctor lives in constant motion. Each year we see more and better products and services that facilitate our daily and professional life and no doubt, in the coming decades we will see newer developments in this area. Most people who live in this world make use of new technologies, but we must consider a little that these new technologies not only have a positive side, but also a negative side. Most people only see the positive side of this and the fact that they can count on technologies such as social network and mobile phones that contain everything that a person needs to communicate; this has made us dependent of these new technologies. It sounds terribly dramatic, but the truth is that if we do not use one of these media for one day, we would not be satisfied. Maybe we should ask ourselves this question: are we dependent on new technologies? There are many advantages that technological advances have brought, but we must think that we have to pay as users of this new technology. Technological dependence is clearly seen when we look around and realize that we are surrounded by technological advances ranging from mobile phones, computers, ipod, and television; that have become part of our common lives causing in us a certain dependence. Technological development has grown at considerable speed and the consequences on society, countries and individuals are enormous. Technological development has a unique course we cannot alter, nor stop; It defines our lives. In the present, technological change is determined by a few large multinational corporations that in turn influence the behavior of consumers by advertising, so the consumer is directed to where they want. For example, for the people that must be continuously checking their e-mail; cell phones were invented, which already have mobile internet so that they can connect at any time and anywhere. Another example of how consumerism is relate to new technologies is the company Apple who release every years a new iphone and consumers often are content to upgrade for even the smallest improvementsa phenomenon that many people attribute to Apples advertising acumen. (Rachael Duane) It is important to emphasize that the same consumerism perceived by the people today in everyday life; it is the same that induces to the purchase of new and improved artifacts focused more than anything else as a whim and not as a necessity. The gap between consumption and need becomes increasingly close and more difficult to discern. At first glance, one might have the tendency to dismiss such aberrant cell phone use as merely youthful nonsense a passing fad. But an emerging body of literature has given increasing credence to cell phone addiction and similar behavioral addictions. (Roberts and Pirog). Technology is a means that on one hand brings us many advantages, but in the other hand, we have to establish that the use of artifacts such as the Internet and mobile phones are becoming of excessive use in young people, for Roberts and Pirog it is definite that all these artifacts are becoming a way of life for each one of them, and they say that the same young people are at a stage where they will become addicts to this devices if they do not know how to control themselves. They argue further that technology isolates people because it is now very common to see how many hours are devoted young to be on the network, because humanity is involved in a technological world, thats where people are starting to talk about the term technophile which is becoming more common every day. In addition several people are starting to consider technology dependency as any unhealthy dependency such as alcoholism or drug addiction. Jane Demerica thinks the opposite to what is set out in the article of Roberts and Pirog she says, that these new technologies are extremely beneficial for all and that it is difficult to speak of dependence in these technologies. New technologies in communication are optimal for better knowing people and expand the social circle. Meeting new friends- Shy kids can make new friends on the internet. (Jane Demerica) She also claims to have solved the problems of introversion and even ensures that parents feel reassured that their children are talking to friends who already know and are under supervision to help lower the risk. Another point where she is in favor is the mobile phones because she mentions, Cell phones make it easier for parents to keep track of their children. (Jane Demer ica) It can be seen that the technologies have a great potential to enhance and change the education system, which can break the prevailing cultural patterns so that technology does not bring so many prejudices and steers away from becoming a dependency. When schools in different parts of the state, country or world connect, students can meet their counterparts through video conferencing without leaving the classroom. (William McCoy). According to him, there is no abuse of technology rather this is the current key of teaching so children and youth should be therefore more exposed to the media. As a source of information the Internet provides immediate access to almost all knowledge collected by mankind in the history of civilization. In times where knowledge is power, access to the Internet puts a person in complete advantage over those who do not. With the internet a person can read the latest news on different topics, obtain information on employment opportunities, find out the latest f ashion trends, and learn from the written responses of millions of people in specialized forums and blogs. The downside is that many people infringe copyright because they are tempted by so much information and end up copying and pasting text and then present them as their own. This promotes laziness and dishonesty. Also, many people take advantage of the vast amount of personal information available on the Internet to blackmail or steal identities. Deferring to the thoughts of Demerica and McCoy. Psychologist Patricia Greenfield indicates that technology is causing the loss of critical thinking in students. She states that because of the incredible boom that technologies have on societies can begin to talk about the concept of dependence on technology, estimates that there are already hundreds incidents of Internet dependency. Although she is not totally disagree with the new technologies, she indicates to use both As students spend more time with visual media and less time with pr int, evaluation methods that include visual media will give a better picture of what they actually know. (Greenfield ). Addiction is increasing, it is giving following alteration in social and physical habits of young people and identifies these as other addictions, producing anxiety about being in touch with a computer and the need to be using it every minute, so that has made à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹a huge gap between use and abuse. Another person who is in favor with the views of Roberts and Pirog with regard to the mobile phones is Josip Ivanovic who says Teens natural tendency to follow trends may result in an emotional attachment to a cell phone (in its latest model) that is out of scale with its actual value. (Ivanovic) It can be said that many people, especially young people tend to use this device in a manner disproportionate, making it an addiction. Most people overuse the cell, nowadays users cannot leave it off for minutes, and if so they tend to turn it on a fter a short time to check for text messages or voice mails. People who are dependent of cell phones need to feel their devices in their hands, otherwise they will not feel good and this will generate anxiety, stress or despair. This new addiction attack to hundreds of people, and the worst thing of all is that they do not realize that they are addicted because they see it as something normal. The overuse of cell phones has become a social problem for tens of thousands of Americans not much different than other harmful addictions. (qtd in Chris Knippers) In addition, cell phone addiction can cause serious damage to the home environment; because it causes alienation when a member moves away to make a call or send a text message this generates a detachment of the family environment. We live in times where the use of technology is applied in every aspect of the society, which explains the technological dependence in which we live. Nowadays society applies new technology almost anywhere such as scientifically, socially and financially, But as a foundation for an important enconomic pillar in our country, I suspect were pushing the envelope of sane thinking. There is no such thing as an unhackable computer system. There is no such thing as a 24/7/365 computer system. (John M. Grohol). For example, if we go to the bank and the system goes down we cannot do anything because all the information about the clients is stored online; If a person wants to be served in any unit of government health, he has to make an appointment, but if it is rush hour in which all users want to make an appointment, the system will flood, and they wont be able to handle the appointment. Other problem could be if a system fails Because hospital systems are so complex, and require the careful integration of disparate, specialized software and hardware systems, single component downtime can greatly interrupt workflow. (Campbell, Guappone, Ash) New technologies have entirely changed the way of life of young people. In some respects very much improved. For example, in order to perform the school work children have to use a computer to do some research. In the last few years there has been a considerable advance in the technology, each time improving more what we already have, which is beneficial to our quality of life. The problem is that goes awry and creates addiction among children and adolescents, and presently technology can be considered as a drug. At first, results from the ease of communications appear valuable because it helps people to communicate with others who are far away, but if this trend persists, people who use this technology often will isolate. Young adults who use Facebook more frequently show more signs of psychological disorders, including antisocial behavior, mania and aggressiveness. (Larry Rosen). An example of this is Facebook where more and more people spends hours attached to this virtual community, and thus ignore their interpersonal relationships in the real world. For young people, I believe that new technologies have become a property of first need that gives them independence with respect to the outside world. Some of the things that stand out are the media such as television, social networks, the consoles such as the video games, mobile phones, the Internet, and photos and videos from digital cameras. This has caused a radical change in the socialization and how they relate. The presence and contact now have become a thing of the past. Friendships are now not visible by the use of technologies. For example, with the use of Facebook many people can meet new friends. The advantages that young people see in the new technologies are many and varied. For example, in social networks allows them to have a continuous communication. They can choose a person to talk or keep hidden until they feel confident most of the time they use it at home where they feel safe and uninhibited, which causes parents to lose and control of their children. These technologies also have an impact on family relations, creating privacy for the children, which is hardly controllable by the parents, because most of the population now has a computer at home with internet access. The computer is a useful tool in everyday life as it helps us to make academic work and non-academic work. Although it is a very important tool in our daily lives today we have also become very dependent on it because we can not do anyt hing if we do not have a computer, this mainly happens because our environment demands the use of this tool each day at work or school, and nobody denies that it is a very useful tool for everyday tasks, but when a person rely on something that is what we dread to think what will happen when this technology is not around us. From a computer with internet connection a person can buy anything, from books to a house. There is no need that could not be met with the Internet and a credit card with funds. Someone with Internet connection could live his entire live without having to leave his home. This also means that the Internet offers an endless variety of business opportunities, from basic Web page creation, sales of traditional products, to even sales of stranger things. The negative side of these are of course spam, phishing, and other forms of fraud; through which unscrupulous people look for to get rich quick. Fraud can also come from the buyers side, because many thieves of credi t cards use the Internet to make purchases under the name of their victims, emptying their bank accounts and ruining their reputation. In conclusion, technology is a phenomenon that surrounds us all with artifacts and technical devices on a daily basis, is an element that is maintained for the length of time and we remain equally or more wrapped up in a technological world that teaches us a new way of learning, and adaptation. Technological dependence is part of our lives because nowadays no one is free of this phenomenon on the global level. An example of this are the universities which indirectly involve students in this system, the same applies to jobs or simply with the Chat, which is limiting personal relations, replacing them with virtual communication. All this becomes dependence when individuals cannot perform their daily activities without the use of some device, or better said function in society without occupying any technological tool. Historically, technology has been used to meet basic needs such as food, clothing, and housing. But also for other negative purposes such as, create weapons to persuade an d dominate people. Technological activity affects the social and economic progress, but also produced the deterioration of our environment. Technologies can be used to protect the environment and prevent the growing needs cause depletion or degradation of material and energy resources of our planet. Avoiding these negative aspects is the task not only of governments, but of all the people living on the planet. Although technology has a number of disadvantages, I think the advantages of these are more favorable to mankind. In fact, one could say that without sustainable development of the technology, the humans would not be more than an ordinary living being on this planet. The inventions of man are indicators of the cognitive evolution of the same, and in their eagerness to learn, can overcome evolutionary barriers such as adaptability to certain climates, and defense against diseases. Unfortunately, it is man who decides how to use it. Certain types of men see technology as weapons for war, others as tools that help us improve the quality of life of the species.