A girl, and her relationship with technology

Technology often times comes at a cost to society, as we have been learning in our class this semester. I often wonder what the benefit of technology is. Many lives have been destroyed and ruined by technology, while others have been significantly improved...

 Technology and Warfare:

    The more improvements we make in the technology of warfare, the more people we can kill at a faster pace. A fistfight between two individuals is an entirely different concept than the nuclear bomb. It is also important when examining the instruments of war to look at shifts in population. Before, it might have been possible to take out a tribe with only sticks and sharply defined stones. Now, mechanical weaponry is a necessity if one is going to seriously consider engaging in a war.

            Technology is often thought of as a way to improve humanity. There have been very emotional documentaries on television in modern times where viewers have been able to watch a child’s life saved, or see the reaction of a child the first time he or she hears a sound. No doubt, such technological innovations have served to save and improve lives. However, for every improvement we make to save a life or give the gift of sight to someone, we also indirectly improve the technology of warfare. For every advance that is made in one field, an improvement comes in another field. Every refinement we achieve in mathematics, we achieve greater precision in the deployment of weapons.

Technology and Humanity:

            Often, we as a society place more importance on new televisions and gadgets for executives than we do on the lives of people we live with. Ultimately, technology could never replace the lives of those that surround us. It is far more important to have a good friend, than the latest computer. We have known for years that individuals living in Less Developed Countries actually have higher rates of happiness than American citizens. What accounts for this? As Americans have become more technologically dependent, we have forced ourselves to become less dependent on humanity.

            Ultimately, these developing countries have higher rates of happiness because they have been forced to understand what is truly important in life. Does this suggest that we should give up the aspects of technology that improve health and help people? To put it plainly, one can suggest that we can have the best of both worlds. By decreasing the influence technology has over our lives and increasing our awareness of humanity, we can live fulfilling lives.

Final Thoughts on Technology:

            Technology should not be a negative force in lives, it should be a positive one. Individuals know what they can do to make technology a positive force in their own lives. Being overly concerned with material goods in stead of with friends and family can make one's life seem meaningless.