Are We Becoming Technological Zombies? Essay Example

Technology is an important aspect of our lives today. It has become a major part of our world, benefiting us in various ways and means. However, technology has its effects too especially on our social lives where it has been rooting itself deeply on teens, taking over the basic and normal activities we ought to be doing on our day to day activities. It is true that we are obsessed with technology to a point where we have become the slaves of our screens. Technology there to make our lives easier but it seems that it is taking away more than it gives us, we have become technological zombies.

The society is obsessed with technology; we have used it to satisfy our needs and make our lives more comfortable. The various accessories we have, phones, iPads, TVs and many other devices connect us to the rest of the world, keeping us updated on what is happening out there. However, the truth is that many of have become addicts to such devices and other forms of technology that comes with it. Whereas many individuals may deny this fact, it is the cold hard truth that we do not realize that we are depended on technology. Families claim that they spend time with their families by being in contact through Skype, Facebook, SnapChat or other forms of social media but the truth is that they are doing the opposite. In the earlier days before the invention of some products and services in the technology world, families used to settle down and have their meal together. This used to be a common yet important factor of our wellbeing, but with the introduction of cellphone and computers, this sort of relationships amongst family and friends has decreased to nothing but isolation with the claim of being independent. According to Virilio (2000), technology is accelerating faster, and with the adaptation of these new forms of technology, people are usually not aware of the new risks that come with it. While he may seem overly alarmist, Virilio is right in all possible forms.

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The technology in the learning sector of our society has evolved in many trends. The education in the modern world has evolved, and now online classes is a trend in many institutions. Many people may argue that the online classes are simple and less time-consuming than the old forms of classes. However, they have not thought through on the effects in which thee modes of study can have an effect on them. It is a fact that the online schools are one on one in many institutions and therefore people can argue that they are less distracting. While it is true, we fail to see the other adverse effects that it presents. The classes taken online disconnects us socially from the world around us. We are not able to get the higher levels of interaction with other people as compared to when we participate in an actual classroom setting. Whereas incorporating such technologies into our education can be the solution to us being able to learn many subjects, it does, in the end, work against us learning the so-called social values. When we lock ourselves behind the screens of our phones and computers, we give no room for our social life to grow and develop. To be able to expand our social lives and be more of a participating figure in the society, we need to grow our relationship more with other people, an act that can be done through one on one interaction and not virtually.

Research conducted by various scientists have proved that the use of devices such as computers and phones contribute immensely to some hazardous diseases. There is a connection between some of these diseases to the excessive use of such devices. The studies found that individuals who are actively involved in social media and internet technology as a whole are prone to depression, hypertension, and anxieties. It is a beginning of what is now becoming a menace in the real society. People often cause accidents due to the recklessness of using phones while driving that has ended up contributing to the number of accidents on the road.

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The technology itself is not the problem; it is the way in which individuals use it in a dreadful manner. The reliance of technology to make some of the basic decisions we ought to make in our daily lives, we erode our ability to concentrate and understanding or comprehending the information in our lives. The use of technology is dumbing us down and not educating or informing us as many individuals may think. There are many distractions and diversions that technology presents as we see in Schmidt (2014) remarks that The internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity does not understand; it is the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever created. We tend to believe most of the information we get from the internet. The inability of distinguishing that what is important from trivial information is presented. With the ever coming streams of new information, we concern ourselves with the new thing often forgetting to critically analyze that which is more important.

Technology may not be wrong as much as we think. Initially, technology was a convenience, but with the advancements in the sector, technology has become more of a necessity according to a study conducted by the London School of Economics. With the 96% of the population in the world having access to some sort of technological device, it is clear that there are many good attributes that technology has. In spite of the negative effects it has, technology has saved time and also people by easing some of the tasks that would otherwise be difficult to accomplish. Technological advancement has improved creativity through innovation, improves communication as well as productivity and efficiency. It is noteworthy that the technology itself is not that horrifying, it is the way in which people have unrestrainedly over exploited the benefits of technology.

In conclusion, it is clear that the technology is supposed to make our lives easier, but it seems that it is taking away more than it gives us, making us technological zombies. More people have access to phones and computers, a fact that proves that technology has woven itself into civilization. In reality, technology has become more of necessity when it should only be a convenience. Families spend more of their time online or using the technology to connect and end up losing that interpersonal touch. We should give more of our time to friends and family. The issue of online classes is a bit controversial, and many people have different views regarding the issue. Whereas there are complications that are associated with the classes taken online as stated before, technology has enabled individuals who have many things to attend to be able to get into the classes. People should often take some time off their screens and explore the world in a different way other than using computers and phones. Technology will turn us into zombies to the extent that we cannot realize the issues that affect our lives such as depression that is related to technology. Therefore, we should engage ourselves more with other people through one on one basis so that we can reduce or eradicate such issues. We should learn to enjoy and appreciate our surroundings and nature and break the hard shell that technology has hardened over us by going out and meeting and interacting with other people. With the advancements and evolution in technology, we should learn to weigh the benefits as well as the costs that come with it. We should not give up technology, but in turn, we should learn to ensure that it does not doom us into some sort of insipid existence. People have detached themselves from the society because of technology, and for our countrys as well as the worlds sake, we should find a permanent solution to the menace so that we can save ourselves and the future generation well-being before it is too late. In this way, we will be able to prevent ourselves from becoming a technological zombie.

Works cited

Schmidt, Eric, and Jonathan Rosenberg. How Google works. Hachette UK, 2014.

Virilio, Paul. A landscape of events. MIT Press, 2000.