People's Reliance on Modern Technology
Technology can be found all over the globe. Everyone is ecstatic about how technology has streamlined complicated tasks and made it possible to complete a large amount of work in a short period. While many of the benefits of technology are being celebrated, many people have become too reliant. We have reached a point in life where everything is aided by technology, to the point where the world risks becoming redundant if technology is not available. This paper aims to show how dependent people are on technology.
Thesis Assertion
The various advantages of technology, such as quick and efficient communication, work efficacy, and company productivity have made people dependent on technology.
Communication Facilitation
Communication is one of the aspects aided greatly by technology. Technology has brought up the internet. The introduction of the internet through the worldwide web gave birth to several communication channels, which include email, mobile phone calls and text messages, several social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp among many others. These platforms provide a fast, reliable and instant way of sending and receiving information. In the present world, a higher percentage of people have access to smart phones. According to Hackett (2008), people rely on technology-based means of communication for almost 95% in their daily communication. Postal means of communication and fax have become archaic. Apparently, the largest percentage of people can go a day without their smart phones (Hackett, 2008).
In the contemporary world, social gathering has declined. Most people find it more convenient to hold the gatherings with the aid of a social media platform to avoid driving long distances to meet people. Amazingly, even learning is taking a new shift, which is online. The teacher is able to get access to every student online and a course is comfortably taken online. Companies hold meetings online with stakeholders in different parts of the world. Not all these could be possible without technology (Carr, 2014).
Companies' Productivity
In the "The glass cage: Automation and us", Carr (2014) finds that companies experienced a great transformation with the introduction and improvement in technology. Machines are used to do complex work and in a very short period. The number of employees in companies reduced since they only require a few people to operate machines that can do a lot of work. Company details and all documents are stored in computers and they even have a backup to ensure the information is not lost. A lot of information can be stored in storage devices that are portable (Hackett, 2008). Dependence on technology is evident through most companies not being able to work or produce anything when there is no power to run the machines, or when the machines break down or need repair, no work can be done. Nobody wants to keep a file system of keeping records. Storage and even retrieval from computers is easier and faster. For instance, if a machine that packs and seals sugar in a sugar-producing company fails, then, it will take a very long period for people to do that. Such a failure will cause huge losses to the company.
Household Efficiency
Household chores are no longer a problem because of technology. Starting with the electric cooker, the fridge, the microwave, laundry machine, dishwashing machine, the list is endless. People do not wash clothes or dishes manually. Without these machines, life can be a hell of time. Some people are not able to wake up in the morning without the clock alarm. The air conditioner makes room temperatures conducive for people. The blow dry machines make our hair look great. The shower system and hot water system are a great relief from having to bend to a basin of water and warming water for a bath. Most people are addicted to watching television programs and the addictive computer games. These are results of technology. Consequently, we spend our leisure time on technology. Technology is everywhere at home and without it, people will not have an ample and relaxed time at home.
Conclusion
The essay supports the notion of human dependency on technology, a fact that this is a technological epoch. Everything around us is technology, which seems to get better every day. From the time one wakes up when the alarm rings to the time they make a call to tell a loved one good night, technology surrounds them (Carr, 2014). The many benefits of technology have made people so dependent on technology. Most people cannot walk up the stairs to the fifth floor, as the lifts exist to save them from that hassle. Significantly, human beings should support the technological advancement as it improves the living standards and conditions. However, the advancement should be cautious, as too much dependence on technology could turn catastrophic for humans. Therefore, laws should be in place to ensure that the technological advancement does not lead to human extinction. Innovation should receive support from the departments and organizations given the mandate to do so.
References
Carr, N. G. (2014). The glass cage: Automation and us. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
Hackett, E. (2008). The handbook of science and technology studies (1st ed.). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
