Technology: Pros and Cons
Technology has improved the world in countless ways. Students can attend college online, research is a million times easier to do, and people can connect with each other through social media. One has to take a step back and think, though. Has technology, such as social media platforms, text messaging, etcetera impaired the younger generations’ ability to communicate with others in real life? Some teens find it hard to speak on the phone when it comes to formal transactions. Others find it difficult to speak in front of a room of people or just make simple interaction with higher-ups.
There are many pros and cons to the use of technology. The invention of Google has tremendously helped in many ways. Research is now far simpler to do and easily accessible. One has the ability to search a question and know the answer in an instant. According to Vittana, “The average smartphone owner checks their phone almost 100 times throughout the day.” This is a hindrance to one’s daily life and can prevent one from concentrating on tasks at hand.
Through social media, one can connect with others whom they may have never spoken to otherwise. In this sense, social media is extremely beneficial in our social lives; it provides diversity. Communication is made easier—some may say less intimidating—through social media, as no real-life interaction is actually taking place. The sort of anonymity of this communication is found as a relief or benefit to many people, which leads to a big part of the problem of technology.
With all of the positive and negative aspects of technology, I find that it would be more beneficial to the development of a child’s critical life skills if technology were less of a presence. If people were to step away from technology for longer, it would improve life significantly. One could live in the moment in peace without a constant attachment to social media. Yes, technology has improved life immensely, but many need to realize that it may be more prudent to slightly release one’s tight grasp on technology in order to enjoy life better without interruption.
--Madison Slusser