Final Blog Post: Society’s Evolving Bond with Technology and My Personal Connection

  

     
    Technology, the worlds most greatest invention, Or is it? Would the worlds greatest invention influence suicide? or how about murder? Today, technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. From smartphones  to artificial intelligence, technology is reshaping how we live, work, learn, and interact. But as society grows increasingly dependent on it, the relationship we share with technology reveals both immense benefits and significant challenges.

 As stated, technology has changed the way we communicate, learn, and live. Social media platforms and messaging apps have made it so much easier to stay connected with family and friends, regardless of distance. Video calls bridge gaps, making family gatherings, business meetings, and even long-distance friendships feel more personal and meaningful. 

    Education has also seen transformative changes. Online  platforms such as Canvas, Google Classroom and Blackboard make it so much easier for educators to post assignments, grades and course plans for students to see, while tools like Zoom, Webex, and Google meet allow students to attend classes remotely which became so useful during the pandemic. 

    Other aspects of life such as Healthcare and Scientific Research are also positively affected by technology. For healthcare, with continuous advancements in areas like surgical equipment, vital monitoring and lab equipment, doctors are able to provide better results and increase chances of life. As for scientific research, with more advanced computing power, scientists are having breakthroughs in medicine, environmental science, and more. 

    
Despite the many great things that come with technology, its impact is not all positive. One of the most concerning issues is the effect on our mental health. The constant stream of notifications, social media standards, and the pressure to be online all the time can lead to a number of different mental health disorders.

Privacy and security are also growing concerns . From data breaches to government surveillance strategies, individuals’ personal information is more at risk than ever. Social media algorithms manipulate our attention spans by only putting posts you are likely to enjoy on your feed causing you to stay on the platform longer, sometimes without us even realizing it.

Finally, while many benefit from technology, others are left behind due to lack of access or resources. In many cases people can't afford the newest and smartest technology putting them at a disadvantage from those who are financially sound. In terms of education, many public schools can't afford to put the newest technology in their schools, making a larger gap between the resources families can receive at a private school rather than a public school. 

As much as I depend on technology, I know how harmful it can be to my academic performance, social life and my health. This is something I try to keep balanced but definitely struggle with as a young adult. When it comes to technology I will defend it 75% of the time because it has become such a huge part of my life, whether it be for school work, social life, or just everyday life, but I know the struggles others face that stem from technology.

    I would say I use technology more than the average person.  I use my cellphone alone for an average of 45 hours a week. No I am not proud of that but it shows how absorbed I am. Now while specialists may say this is terrible for me and I wouldn't disagree, I feel these are quality hours spent learning, socializing, connecting, relaxing, and planning. While on my phone I learn so many new things whether it be from looking it up myself out of curiosity or scrolling through social media and it popping up on my feed. There is a variety whether it be breaking news, history or just fun facts, I have access to it all in the palm of my hand. Like most people my age, I am always on my phone sending videos to my friends, scrolling through multiple social media platforms or on the phone to my friends and family updating them on what I may have going on. In my eyes, my technology brings mainly good to my life but that doesn't mean I am completely blind to the harm it brings into the world.

    As previously stated, I spend about 45 hours a week on my phone, now although I haven't been effected in a way that would cause depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts, it effects my health in other ways, sleep being at the forefront. Now with increased screen time, I tend to find myself awake extremely late scrolling through social media, not going to sleep till 3 or 4 am. I know, crazy. Although I know this can affect my daily productivity, overall mood and even my weight, I can't seem to break the cycle no matter how hard I try. Another obstacle I face is procrastination. So many times while trying to complete assignments, this one included, I find myself getting distracted multiple times by getting a notification on my phone and then ending up scrolling through social media for a while before resuming whatever it was I was working on. This is something that I have struggled with since the pandemic, and as the years go by nothing seems to be changing.

    The relationship we have with technology is extremely complicated, and that's not going to change anytime soon. However, as an individual and as a society, we must look for balance. This means taking advantage of technology’s benefits while acknowledging and fixing its weaknesses.