As a society, we often look at technology as a tool, something that was invented to simplify life, increase productivity, and improve connectivity with other people. I would say we have a complicated relationship with it, and the relationship between technology and society has grown toxic in many ways.
Firstly, I am going to talk about the internet, which provides us access to a large amount of information anytime and anywhere. This is, of course, a huge advantage for us. We have the ability to learn anything we want from almost anywhere in the world, which was something that earlier generations had only dreamt about (FUTURAMA). With only a few clicks on research, lessons, news, and ideas, people can teach themselves and make knowledgeable decisions. Overall, technology has produced genius products that have made opportunities for education and personal development possible for millions.
On the other hand, there are certain disadvantages to having access to the endless knowledge we have. For example, fake news spreads faster than ever to us, and certain factors make it difficult to tell the difference. Unreliable information, extreme viewpoints, or horribly researched sources can influence people more than we think. Another aspect is that because of how the internet is now, harmful content, like hate speech and conspiracy theories, constantly gains attention. This sometimes can lead to people becoming overwhelmed, distracted, or incapable of making decisions as a result of the information overload. Basically, when technology stops being informative and becomes confusing and stressful to people, it seems like it’s just going backwards.
Another factor I feel is contributing to cyberbullying's horrible impact on society is the fact that technology allows it to happen. Social media platforms have sadly been made safe spaces for online harassment, stalking, and bullying. Because users are able to stay anonymous online, they can attack others in a disgusting way that would never happen in face-to-face interactions. The effects of cyberbullying are extensive and include depression and, in extreme cases, suicide, which, as a lot of us know, is happening now at a faster rate than ever.I recently did a project on it, and the statistics were heartbreaking. Even though the internet has brought humans closer in different ways, it has also made people less accountable for their actions, and as we have seen, online harassment can be fatal. I happen to personally believe that this has worsened accountability in life when people are offline as well.
Another similar issue is that revenge porn, a nationwide issue, has been started by technology(and horrible people). The same digital tools that we use to capture and share private experiences with friends and family have shown us a different side of the internet. The victims of revenge porn have experienced and are still experiencing horrific trauma. This terrible issue represents an invasion of privacy, an aggressive act that has the potential to destroy relationships, reputations, and mental health. Even though many platforms are now taking steps to address this issue, technology made it even easier for people to abuse others in ways no one could have imagined. Even after the content is removed, the digital footprint is permanent and continues to resurface and haunt those poor victims.Sadly, I do not feel like there is an appropriate upside to this problem yet; hopefully in the future.
Technological advancements over the past years have also made it overly possible to communicate with friends, family, and coworkers from all over the world. There are a ton of ways to do this in this day and age, like contacting someone through social media, online video conferences, and international messaging apps(like (like WhatsApp). I moved from Chicago to a border town (Nogales) in Arizona where most of my friends relied on that app to keep in contact with their families from Mexico.People have been able to cut through cultural and geographic barriers and bring family and millions of people together. There is no more relying on expensive calls (internationally or locally) or letters. However, this constant connection does have its negative issues, just like the other tools I mentioned. Like the mad world video we watched, this can allow users to keep seeking approval through likes, comments, and follows; social media platforms may promote superficial relationships. Feelings of uselessness and loneliness sometimes result from a need to maintain an idealized online persona. Additionally, the constant barrage of notifications and messages may divert our focus and impair our ability to focus on meaningful, face-to-face interactions.
Lastly, technology completely transformed the way businesses sell products, allowing people and organizations to grow their brands bigger than ever online. A new business market has come up, providing opportunities to make money quicker. Anyone with a great or unique idea can start and grow a business and reach a global market, all thanks to social media campaigns, digital marketing, and e-commerce.
To conclude, I think we as a society have had a complicated and most of the time, toxic relationship with technology. Even though technology does offer incredible unique opportunities for connection and entrepreneurship, it also has serious and troubling risks like harassment, misinformation, and privacy violations. I assume that in the future, it will be harder for people to find the best balance between using technology to do beneficial things and using it to cause or say destructive things. As the new generation of inventors keeps coming up with new ideas, we need to have better perspective and remember that technology should help people and not hurt them or kill them.
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