A World Of Technology

We live in a world where technology has sped up and there’s never a dull moment. As it evolves, so do we or we get left behind. In this new age, we have no choice but to grow with it or go live in the mountains off the grid. We use emojis to summarize text messages and text messages to avoid long winded conversations. The moment technology takes a break or slows down, we want to scream and hit the machine or throw it because even though it won’t help the situation, it would make us feel like we are back in control of making it go faster and perform better. As technology advances, we may want to ask ourselves- is a necessity and/or an accessory? Did it become something we can’t live without or is it something we can carry about but then discard when the time is right? Let’s evaluate how technology evolved and how we evolved with it making it a product that can’t be stopped but yet just slowed.

In the dark ages of the Stone Age, technology did not exist. It was more of a term that was foreign or could be seen as a caveman with a club. The first example of technology was considered to be a flint of fire or a sharp edge fossil. These tools were found in Africa from about 2.5 million years ago and gradually, over the millennia, in an extremely slow version of an industrial revolution, new and improved techniques are developed for striking off slivers of stone (HistoryWorld.net). What once was used for fire or killing is now known as the Stone Ages version of technology and as time passed, the term technology came to more of an existence.

Technology is now considered to be the use of science in industry, engineering, etc., to invent useful things or to solve problems (Webster Dictionary), but originally started as the”science of the mechanical and industrial arts”, hence the caveman era. As there became more of a want, enhancements were created and technology advanced. The simple pleasures of the five things we once needed to live (air, food, shelter, water, and sleep) also quickly included technology, even though it was not stated.  Back in the day (started in the 80s for me), we all started with home phones, box tvs, and 8 tracks which developed into tape decks, CD players/mp3s, Macintoshes, and PCs and then as the need grew, technology advanced more to progress to laptops, cell phones, and tablets. Today, your cell phone now acts as your mini laptop offering all the tools that your PC does but now offers you more flexibility from not being in an office or being home based. You now accept calls within reach and can budget, Facebook, Instagram, take pictures, etc all which is carried within the palm of your hand. In addition to that, you can also now travel with your mini laptop in your pocket allowing you to work from anywhere in the world. So, we must ask ourselves is it a necessity or an accessory. Let’s look at the time that is spent on these portable devices and then see if this theory can reflect the truth behind what is loved or hated in our daily worlds.

Due to these advancements, the number of hours spent on a smart device has increased erratically. According to a study done by Furry in 2014, people were averaging 162 minutes on their cell phones but with millennials now being present that number has significantly increased according to a survey that was conducted to My.com and Survey Sampling International (Mobile Marketing). Currently, most Millennials spend at least 5 hours a day on their smart devices.  Is it too much or not enough and do we foresee this number increasing? A these hours grew, the personal touch of communicating has been shut out because now it is a world done through applications, texting, face timing and emojis.  So, why has this occurred and is there a way for us to eliminate this? The answer is yes only if you want to go live in the mountains and go backwards by living in the Stone Age. If not, then no, we evolve with technology. So again, is it a necessity or an accessory?

Many of us live with technology in our hands or at our fingertips but is it really needed? Technology has advanced by providing these fun tools in our palms but with that there have been other great improvements to where our life span has grown. The technology advancements are not just with us at home or in our palms but yet in the hospitals, at the airports, in schools, at work, and so much more. This progression has helped us achieve so much more by providing us longer lives, safer places, and more knowledge. Technology is not just an accessory but can be seen as a necessity when it comes to life saving techniques. The technology that fits in our palms can be seen as an accessory that we can decorate and play with on a daily basis but overall it has become our way of communicating with one another. It acts as both an accessory and necessity.