Since humanity has existed, it has always tried to improve its life. This is what it has done since it first created fire and the wheel centuries ago. Fast forward to modern times, and you can see how far we have come with the introduction of technology in our life. Even the technology introduced in the previous century has progressed so much. For example, cameras used to be bulky and reliable, and now they are so small that they are virtually undetectable in spy cameras. But how exactly has this technology affected our lives? Sure, the purpose of technology is to make life easier but has its effects all been positive? In this article, we will precisely see that.
Positive Effects
Improved Communication
Communication is an essential aspect for people as it helps them interact with each other. In the old days, communication often required travel which could end up taking days or months. This was made a lot simpler with the telegram and eventually, with Graham Bell inventing the telephone. The telephone allowed people to communicate over vast distances.
Fast forward to modern times, and now with modern information technologies and social media, it is possible to communicate with anyone in the world in various ways. Through broadband internet, you can talk through text or even voice call, eliminating the feeling of long-distance. With this new technology, people can work together from anywhere globally and even have long-distance relationships with their lovers. Additionally, international businesses and their branches can communicate with each other through conference calls. This has eliminated the need for long-distance commutes.
Improved Information Access
Not too long ago, to get detailed information about anything, you would have to go to a local library and sift through many books until you had enough information. With the internet, you can do this with a few clicks. There are so many information-focused websites like Wikipedia that allow you to get detailed information about any topic. Alongside websites like Google and YouTube, this has also helped improve learning and education. One can learn about any skill online without leaving their screens which have reduced the need for textbooks.
The internet has also made access to information like map directions and locating numbers a lot easier. Physical maps and yellow pages are pretty much obsolete nowadays because you can access this information online. The internet also provides more accurate and real-time information with GPS to locate places a lot more easily.
Negative Effects
Privacy Concerns
While the internet has brought a lot of convenience for its users, it has also made them a lot more vulnerable. Since everything is done online, many of our data is out in the open or under the possession of companies that try to profit from our data. If someone wrongly gets access to this information, it can leave us vulnerable to hackers and scammers. For example, someone could use our credit card details to buy equipment that could leave us with some hefty debt. This has made many people concerned about our privacy and has led to many questioning the tech giants about how they use our data. Sure, there are a lot of tools available out there that can help us protect from this, but even then, hackers continuously find new ways to access our data.
Increased Pollution
With each technological advancement made, more and more people have wanted to buy it, leading to increased demand. Increased demand means factories and mines have had increased work. This has increased the amount of greenhouse gases, toxic gases, and the waste being released into the atmosphere. This has led to increased pollution in cities, leading to chronic illness and congenital disabilities in children. Additionally, this has led to global warming that has been of increased concern to environmental scientists who repeatedly warn the world of its adverse effects.
The bottom line
On the one hand, technology has brought numerous benefits to humanity and has allowed us to develop as a race. On the other hand, it has brought several adverse effects that have harmed us at the core. Therefore, it isn’t easy to judge whether technology has overall harmed or benefited us. We leave it to you to decide. How do you think technology will impact us in the future?
ragini singh