Introduction
People, across the world, often resist change because they are unaware of benefits and advantages that are associated with it. Similarly, people resist new technologies because they believe that they are happy without it. Bell in his article “Technology, Movement, and Sound” mentions that it is dangerous to refuse new inventions or changes and stick to the old days. Technology is continuously evolving and making people’s lives easier. Technology also offers easy solutions to complex problems, but people still criticize new technologies because of their false assumptions. This paper explores various advantages associated with technology and solutions offered by technology to the complex human problems, while discussing problems associated with too much reliance on technology.
Discussion
Bell says that the problems are not with the technology, but the way people use it. Bell says “Although technology has improved society in many ways, we use it indiscriminately, not distinguishing the good uses from the bad” (Bell 705). Technology is meant to provide people quick and comfortable solutions, but people use it extensively in a manner that it started harming them. For example leaf blower is not developed to completely eliminate raking, but people use it so extensively that they forgot raking.
Use of technology does not mean that people should stop doing physical work and rely completely on technology. Bell says that “movement is as much a biological imperative as food and water” (706). Certainly physical movements are required for human body and technology does not stop people from doing physical movements. For example, cars, motorbikes, trains, or airplanes reduce the traveling time. Transport technologies allow people to work efficiently and communicate across the boundaries. No technology stops people from taking a walk or running or swimming. Similarly, home appliances provide more time to people which can be utilized in other physical activities such as sports.
Technologies, such as computers, laptops and other specialized software are developed to make processes more efficient, and to minimize the chances of human errors. Bell says that “The human body is built to move, yet we treat our physical human movement as an inconvenience” (706). It is true that people work for long hours on their computers and laptops, but such technologies only reduces the time that is required to complete their work. Such technologies do not discourage physical movements but allow people to save their time and money. Can we imagine a world without computers or laptops? The development, taking place across the world, is not possible in absence of technology. However use of technology does not mean to stop physical workout or reducing body movements.
Today, people want speedy processes. They want quality in all products that they buy. They want excellent customer service and they want quick solutions. In modern and demanding environment, survival without technology is not possible. Technology can do the task in few seconds that a man will take days to finish. Technology can retain, secure, and processes enormous amount of data, which is not easier for humans to do. Technology can develop products with minimum error or even error free. Therefore, it is not possible to get away from technology and advantages, offered by it.
Bell, in his article, compares leaf blowers’ technology with raking. Bell pointed out advantages that are associated with raking over leaf blowers such as physical movements, cost effective, requires less space, convenient, noise free, and no lawsuits. Technologies may not encourage physical movements but they offer various other benefits. For example, communication technology like mobile is convenient, costs less as compared to traveling, requires lesser space, and is easy to carry. During old days, in absence of mobile phones, people were unable to talk to their friends and family members for months. They had to travel all the way to have face-to-face meeting. However, now people can call their family members in seconds.
Communication technology and various types of applications allowed people to stay in touch with their friends and family members even when they are away. People who leave their local town or work in other countries now can stay in touch with their family with the help of mobile phone, e-mail, social media and other technologies. It is not justified to see technology only with the lenses of physical movements. Various advantages associated with technology offset few disadvantages associated with them. It is in the hand of people to use technology in a manner that it does not harm them.
Any technology is generally invented and developed with a good intention, and for a good cause, but extensive usage or too much reliance upon it makes it harmful sometimes. For example, Google is developed to provide quick access to the wide pool of information. However, some people use it for reading objectionable contain or getting information for performing unlawful activities. Google provides people access to the desired information in fraction of seconds. People can read any number of articles, books and magazines from their home or offices. People are not required to visit physically any library just to read their favorite book or magazine. A small kindle device now allows people to carry library in their pockets.
Bell says that “We should, I suggest, use our technology more discriminately-instead of using it just because we can” (707). It is true that extensive use of technology does have some harms. For example, extensive use of violent video games makes children and adults aggressive. Violent video games impact psychology of children, make them violent, and encourage them to perform violent acts such as bulling. Similarly, extensive reliance of mobile phones to keep records of phone numbers, addresses, and other types of data can also be harmful in case of mobile damage or lost.
People should use technology wisely. Allowing technology to perform all their works will only restrict their physical movements. Allowing technology to remember everything even phone numbers will impact functioning of their brain. Therefore, it is important to balance activities, and use technology where it is necessary. Technologies are being developed to support human activities, make them more efficient and error free. It is responsibility of humans not to replace human activities completely with technologies.
Conclusion
Technology has completely changed the way people used to live and work during old days. Various advantages offered by the technology made our lives easier and comfortable. As said by Bell, few technologies do restrict our physical movements and create noise, but it is in the hands of humans to use technology wisely. Advantages offered by the technology in the field of communication, transportation, media & entertainment, education, and information are significant and outweigh few disadvantages that are associated with it.
Work Cited
Bell, Ed. "Technology, Movement, and Sound." Mauk, John and John Metz. The Composition of Everyday Life. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2015. 705-707. Print.
