How has Technology Changed Our Lives
In our attempt to analyze how has technology change our lives, we need to consider a fact that depending on the way of usage, technology is beneficial or harmful to society. Let us know how has technological developments shaped our lives over the decades.
How has technology changed our lives - is certainly one of the easiest questions to answer, because the way technology has impacted our lives is evident in every walk of life. Human mind has achieved everything by the power of imagination. It is by the virtue of imagination that man has ushered in an age dominated by revolutionary technological developments. From the day of landing on moon to a trip to Mars, from the introduction of Microsoft Windows to the inception of 3G and 4G technologies, from tape recorders to Apple iPods, from rarely available landlines telephones to abundantly available breed of smartphones, QWERTY phones and iPhones; from the origin of world wide web to web 2.0 and web 3.0 technologies; from revolutionary internet search engines to addictive social networking websites, from blogging forums to Internet shopping; technological developments have impacted our lives in a way that it is next to impossible to imagine this world, without their presence. While technological developments have made life amazingly easier, simpler and anything is just a mouse's click away, it has brought several negative health impacts, psychological problems and stress in daily life.
How Has Technology Changed Our Society
"The real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do". - B. F. Skinner, an American psychologist, author, inventor and social philosopher.
What is the impact of technology on our society? Obviously, development of technology in the 1970s has led to a far better, comfortable and easier life for people in this century. But on the flip side, it has equally created innumerable problems. Mostly, these problems have stemmed from misuse of technology. As BF Skinner puts in the above quote, it is the human mind that has developed these technologies and so it depends on us, how we use technology for our peril or to our advantage. Having said that, there are three broad areas in our society, that have been impacted by technological changes.
Business
Internet technology has changed our life in numerous ways and it is difficult to keep a count on them. The global world trade and business has become faster, easier and more reliable in the last fifty years. It is easier to book flights, railway tickets, bus tickets even from the comforts of our home. The bill payment and account related works of every business is easily managed by online facilities.
Banks and financial institutions have also introduced online system and this has made our life easier. Now, one doesn't need to go to a bank, wait in a line for long time and then deposit money. The ATM technology has made it possible to withdraw money during anytime of the day. In today's world, it is impossible for any small or large businesses to thrive without a web presence. No matter you're a stay at home mom or an entrepreneur, the success of your business model can be guaranteed to a large extent, if you're able to use Internet, to your advantage. Google Adwords and Google Adsense have made online advertising as the greatest growing businesses.
Be it local shops, restaurants, shopping malls, retail stores; almost every place has been well managed by technological growth. Businesses have become faster and more challenging, thereby increasing competition in every field. The impact of technology on business has been phenomenal and in this era, 'information' and ' knowledge' have become commodities.
Education
The impact of technology on education is a classic example of the way our lives have changed by technology. Our forefathers never got the opportunity to study in interactive classrooms with 3D images and projectors and they never had an access to the ocean of knowledge, the Internet and various other technological facilities. Computers, PowerPoint presentations and the Internet technology has given teaching an altogether different dimension. How has technology changed education? Education has become computer dominated in this era and it has gone beyond notebooks and blackboards. Computer education has become an integral part of college education all across the globe, as it is the key to make the students competent enough to meet the industry requirements. In the recent years, online education and distance learning courses have changed the way of gaining knowledge. Now, it is not very important to be present in classrooms to hear a lecture or understand some intricate concept. This doesn't mean that student - teacher interaction has been replaced by technological developments instead, it means that audiences and students who're located in different nations, can easily get access to any lecture being conducted in a country through video conferencing. Many websites also promote online tutoring so if someone has an Internet access, it is easier to grasp a concept.
Communication
If you go through the list of latest developments in technology then you will find that most of them have revolutionized the way we communicate. Social networking websites are the order of day. Websites like Facebook and Twitter have given birth to the concepts of social media marketing. Business networking to personal online dating, communication was never so fast and easy in any century, as it is now.
Meeting new people online has given way to the billion dollar industry of dating. Latest gadgets and gizmos have become a part and parcel of life. No matter where we are, or what we're doing, it has become possible to contact our loved ones at any time of the day. How has technology changed communication? In the last couple of decades, communication has become amazingly faster, thanks to the Internet that bought email and chatting facilities. Instead of sending letters to their respective destinations, it is easier to send a mail to your loved ones.
In seeking answers to the question on technology demerits, we have to also look at some of the negative aspects of technology. With threats of Internet scams increasing everyday and cyber security becoming a global issue, governments of every country are trying hard to make rules and laws regarding cyber access. Moreover, lifestyle habits have changed drastically and nowadays, psychologists are frequently using the term, 'Internet addiction' to address certain issues in the lives of people who're constantly glued to their computers. So, if we have to conclude the ways in which our lives have been changed by technlology, then the answer is that it has given us the power to make a difference in our lives by using it wisely. It depends on us, how we use it and benefit from it, instead of getting addicted to it.
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