Every aspect of the human being is dependent on technology. Technology has undergone so many changes in the 20th century. Human beings initially used traditional means to do things but as time went by, the human brain expanded and it came with innovations that allowed the expansion of technology. People used their own muscles to do work and as time went by, they started using the energy of domesticated animals. They developed ways to use the energy from plants (Inkster, 2010). Currently the human beings have harnessed the use of nuclear energy. Technology is the use of tools, inventions and techniques to make work easier. The knowledge has enabled people to create new things and this has been possible because of technologies. Technology touches almost every aspect of the human life ranging from transport, medicine, military, computing, communication, education, and engineering to sciences. The ancient civilizations produced the advances in technology. They invented simple machines to aid in agriculture and engineering. They used the machines in irrigation schemes and metal works.
In the 21st century, the human beings have made tremendous progress in technological advances. Technology has become a “must have” thing because without it you become outdated. Technology offers convenience and people in the nation are reliant on it. Despite the ease brought by technology, it causes people to become reliant on it. Statistics by CNET concluded that people could not be able to live well without high-speed internet. The children spend time behind TV screens or playing Xbox game. The technology has taken over the lives of the kid’s everyday lives. They always play the uneducated games on the computer in schools. When they reach home from school, they head straight to the computer and continue playing the games. The tasks at home are possible through technology. People do not need to go to the shopping malls to do their shopping, they just shop online and they wait for the delivery of the purchased items. Technology has allowed the improvement and modification of tasks but it has also led people to depend on it too much.
The education system that initially required people to attend classes has changed since the introduction of the internet. The number of people in pursuit of college has increased because of the many avenues that people can access the education. The universities now offer online degrees, junior colleges and trade schools. The number of opportunities that America offers in terms of education is many but America ranks as an average in the international education ratings because the number of education options causes people to have no ambition to excellence. The other countries that have not embraced much technology have few avenues, this makes them to stay motivated, and this allows them to achieve higher education rankings than America. Students do not need to memorize many facts like those that their grandparents do because they have Google at their disposal (Slack & Wise, 2007). Conversely, this is important because children move from simple memorization to advanced levels of problem solving and development of old knowledge to new ideas. The students rely on technology for simple arithmetic, spelling and grammar. They are not able to do simple math without the use of a calculator. The independent thinking is lost because of dependence on computers. The children also use technology in the negative way. They download pornography, which destroys the morals of the children at a very young age. The children have become lazy and susceptible to disease because their bodies are not active. They just sit and play the games and watch movies. Disease like obesity and diabetes is because of technology that has made people inactive.
In the workplace, the all system depends on technology. When the internet is down, most workplaces come to a standstill because most of the private companies and government offices depend on the internet. They require the internet to run their day-to-day activities. They use technology to communicate to the suppliers and their stakeholders. The information storing happens on databases. The traditional method of keeping files is long gone with the advent of technology. People from different departments in the workplace have access to the information a click away. The leaders of the organization do their meetings with the help of technology. This has a disadvantage because people do not see face to face and this weakens relationships in the workplace.
People are addicted to technology and this is a reality of the day. People spend too much time in computers to get out of face-to-face interactions with other human beings. Most people check their text messages and emails 40 to 50 times an hour. It is so addictive that when people do not have their phones they feel naked and stressed. The technology addiction leads to catastrophic events like car accidents. The dependence on technology has led to poor work-life balance. People are addicted to gadgets. The smart phone now is a “must have” thing for every young person. In meetings and dinner tables, people keep emailing and texting. They constantly check their iPhones and BlackBerrys.
The military rely on technology to monitor the nation against external aggression. The communication equipment used in the military is modern technology. The equipment includes the radars, the satellite, high frequency radios and the mobile telephones. They are able to monitor the enemy from a distance unlike the traditional tactics where they had to send the troops to the enemy lines. The training of the military suits the current technology. There is the rise of military robotics. The robots could one day make decisions on life and death (Grahams, 2008). This is not good because such decisions require ethics. The recent developments in computer technology have led to the development of robots that can learn and evolve new methods of tackling problems. This is useful but when one considers the innovations made in 3D printing, where some could be skillful of reproducing, you have a hazardous and an unstable mix.
Technology enables people to save a lot of information on them and retrieve them later when they need it. If the computer crashes, the information will no longer exist and will require the assistance of a specialist if they are to retrieve them. The social media is another addictive thing. People use social media to disseminate information, trade platform and games. The social media has made the world a global village. People communicate around the world without hindrances with the help of internet and phones. It has connected people together and expended the view on things. It has replaced the magazines, newspapers and books.
The transport system depends too much on technology. The jet engine, the wheel and the computer chip are all technology. The advances in technology shape the transport system, which in turn shape the lives and cultures of people. The traditional means of transport involved the use of steam engines and animal power. The invention of electrical engines has changed everything. People travel round the world and have even made trips to other planets. Travelling is now safe and comfortable. This is only possible because of technology. People take less time to travel from one state to another; they use the jet and electric trains that move with lightning speed. The planes fly without the pilot because of technology (Williams, 2008). The pilots learn to fly on simulators. The medical field is also dependent on technology because the doctors use robots to perform complicated surgeries that otherwise the human beings could not do. The medical equipment has undergone changes as technology advances. Medical research is possible through technology. The doctors depend too much on it and sometimes loss of lives occurs because they are too dependent on technology and when the technology is not present, the doctors are not able to carry out the treatment (Timmermans & Berg, 2003). The banking industry relies on technology. The bankers use computers to do their work all day long. The ATM is a technology that every person embraces to get his or her payments. The internet banking is the recent technological advancement. People are conned money through the internet if they do not take the security measures.
Technology has improved ways in which the human beings do things. It has made it easier and faster but the humans are becoming more dependent on it. People are losing their true self and they should find ways to make their lives not too much dependent on technology.
References
Graham, I. (2008). Military technology. London: Evans.
Inkster, I. (2010). History of technology: Vol. 30. London: Continuum.
Slack, J. D., & Wise, J. M. (2007). Culture + technology: A primer. New York: Peter Lang.
Timmermans, S., & Berg, M. (2003). The practice of medical technology. Sociology of health & illness, 25(3), 97-114.
Williams, B. (2008). Transport technology. London: Evans.
