The number of smart devices in the world is growing exponentially. These gadgets have many advantages, ranging from convenience to entertainment. But a recent blog post argues that this trend has a dark side as well.
The Dark Side of a Technological Society: a blog discussing the social injustices brought on by technology.
The Dark Side of a Technological Society: a blog discussing the social injustices brought on by technology.
A new blog post, “Is the World Getting Too Digital?” describes how smart devices are changing our lives and not always for the better. The author argues that we must consider the negative consequences of being constantly connected to the internet before it’s too late.
“We’ve become so reliant on our gadgets that we can’t live without them,” writes blogger James Wilcoxson. “When I go hiking, it’s not uncommon for people to check their phones every five minutes or so.” Wilcoxson points out that at this rate, we risk losing our ability to connect with one another face to face.
Wilcoxson admits that he has written his fair share of online rants, and he encourages readers to think about what they’re posting online before hitting publish. “It only takes one little comment to start an argument that can lead to more
Gadgets in a digital world are getting smaller by the day. The impact of a digital revolution is everywhere. We live in an age where the latest technology is everything and the internet is the tool which brings it all together. One might say that we are at the very cusp of another industrial revolution.
In a recent study, it was shown that Americans spend more time on their phones than on anything else during the day. A staggering 33% of our time is spent on mobile gadgets. In fact, one out of every three minutes we spend awake is in some way connected with online activities. In 2011, the average time American adults spent per day with media was 10 hours and 45 minutes. And this number has been steadily increasing since then.
But what does this mean? In a society where everything is becoming more and more digitalized, the question arises as to whether there is a price to pay for all of this technological advancement. Could it be possible that there are social injustices brought on by technology?
This blog examines these issues and many more related to the dark side of our technological society
Remember the days of typewriters and rotary phones, where you couldn’t just type a few words and hit “send” to send them across the world in a matter of seconds? We’ve come a long way in the past fifty years with technology. But is it possible that we’ve taken it too far?
Our society is becoming increasingly digital, with many people choosing to spend time on Facebook instead of spending time creating real memories with friends. Not only are we wasting our time staring at our screens, but we’re also losing out on opportunities to bond with others face-to-face.
And why stop there? Companies are now filling jobs that used to be performed by humans with machines: gas station attendants, cashiers, and even teachers are being replaced by computers. The more we rely on technology, the more our interpersonal skills will deteriorate. It’s true that we can save money and make transactions easier by using technology, but what about the jobs that will be lost?
In addition to causing problems for job seekers, technology also contributes to environmental issues; from e-waste (electronic waste) pollution to harmful greenhouse gas emissions from electronic items. Why do we need all these gadgets when most people can’t even afford basic necessities? Have we
The world is getting too digital, and we’re suffering for it. In today’s society, everyone from the CEO to the blue-collar worker has a computer at his or her fingertips. And that computer is changing our brains, our interactions, and our productivity.
We all have access to more information than we can possibly consume. We have access to more data than we can possibly process. We have the ability to communicate with people in ways we never could before. And all of this information access and data processing and communication is changing how we think, how we act, and how we live.
The Problem With Digital Information
It’s not bad that we’re using more digital devices; it’s just that these devices are not as good as paper at some of the tasks they replace. They are not as good at helping us remember things; they are not as good at helping us process and understand things; they are not as good at helping us interact with other people in person; and they are not as good at helping us stop multi-tasking so much.
The internet is mostly made up of links. A link doesn’t have a beginning or an end; instead it points to something else. The internet is about hyperlinks, about moving around from one thing
There are too many gadgets in this world.
I’ve seen it all and now I have the solution to our digital dilemmas.
We can put down our phones and take back our lives.
It starts with you and me, but it doesn’t stop there.
We must educate people about the dark side of technology if we are to win this war against digitalization.
The digital revolution is affecting every facet of our lives. Contemplate how you spend your time in a day. You wake up and check your phone for the weather, read your emails, order coffee on an app, swipe into work and fire up the computer, spend the day responding to emails and taking conference calls, then maybe watch a movie on Netflix or browse social media before going to sleep.
This trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down either as more and more people are getting phones and joining social media every day. This begs the question: is this level of technology healthy?
Some experts would say this level of connectivity is not good for us. In fact, they say it directly impacts our mental health and well-being. A recent article in the New York Times discussed this issue further and noted that there has been a rise in anxiety disorders, depression, and other mental health issues among teenagers. The author notes that too much screen time can lead to anxiety because it can cause kids to compare their life to their friends’ “highlight reels,” which are often not realistic depictions of their lives.
He goes on to note that there is more than just the social impact of being “always connected.” Being always connected means
Jill was sitting in her room playing a video game on her computer. The game was a fantasy adventure set in a bleak, post-apocalyptic world. As she played, Jill’s mother came into the room to remind her that it was time for dinner.
“Oh dear,” she said, “I don’t like seeing you play that game. It’s so violent.”
“Mom!” Jill protested, “It’s just make believe – it’s not real!”
Her mother gave her a skeptical look and left the room without another word.
As she played the game, Jill felt herself becoming more and more immersed in the world of bandits, monsters and warriors. She was starting to feel like the character she was controlling. Her avatar ran forward, its sword flashing as it hacked down an enemy soldier who stood in its way. Suddenly, a second enemy appeared from behind and delivered a crushing blow with his mace. The screen went black and Jill heard the words “GAME OVER” blaring at her as an electronic voice counted down from 10.
Jill switched off the computer and sighed loudly as she got up from her chair. Looking around, she realized that for the past hour or so, she had been sitting in complete darkness. The light from