What We Can Do To Salvage Our Future

Technology: The Catalyst For American Laziness

          Part Four:

          What We Can Do To Salvage Our Future         

Technology runs our lives and will ruin our future if this continues. How we can avoid this and why we should.

Technology is slowly, but surely taking over our lives. Everything in society is based off technology; everybody has smart phones and iPads. Everywhere you look you can see technology! It has direct, negative effects on our lives. Obesity and poor social skills are two big results from technological overuse. And I don’t think anybody wants to have either of those things. If our society doesn’t make a change together, we are in for a rough future. As a proud member of this country, I personally do not want to see this happen.

            If we continue on our gloomy path to technological self destruction, our world will be a shell of its former self. No longer do we receive joy from the simpler aspects of life, it takes a lot more to please us nowadays. With easy access to technology we don’t treasure the simple joys of life. James Surowiecki in , Technology And Happiness writes that in 2005 a poll was released about how happy people are. The percentage of people that said they were happy was slightly lower than in 1970s. Even though our country has made massive strides with technology, people find themselves less happy. The technological boom is not good for our country and people are slowly withdrawing into their houses and using technology to hide from the world. If we just continue to abuse all of our country’s technology, we could end up in a world where no one interacts with each other. At least not face to face. We will just be absorbed in our own lives and not care about anyone else. As technology gets more and more advanced, we will become emotionless and self-absorbed. We will turn into robots. Not actual, metal robots, but just people without purpose, without feelings.

            It is extremely clear that we need a change. We need to cut back on technology to appreciate our lives and prevent humanity from becoming depressed and empty. If you take a look at a group of people who don’t use technology and are still living on our Earth, it is easy to see some benefits of cutting back on technology. Yes, I am talking about the Amish. Now I am not suggesting we should take it to this extreme, but you can clearly see some benefits of their lifestyle. Suroiwecki also writes that the happiness levels of the Amish are consistently higher than the rest of Americans. They live without the technologies that we take for granted which leads to happier lives.  Albrecht Powell in Amish 101 - Amish Culture, Beliefs & Lifestyle writes that the Amish feel technology weakens the family structure and its bonds. They live in a close knit community and have very close and personal relationships with each other. I think that we will make huge strides within our society if we cut down our use of technology. Relationships will be much stronger because we won’t be so focused on technology and actually have real conversations with others.

            If technology continues to run our lives like it does today, soon it will completely take over. Job opportunities will decrease because technology is becoming so efficient that we don’t need as much manual labor. If we are not careful, technology will take away our jobs, and our lives. We have to stop this obsession with all these technological advancements. If we don’t use as much technology our eyes will open up again and we will begin to enjoy life as much as people enjoyed it 50 years ago.

           

Works Cited

"Amish 101 - Amish Culture, Beliefs & Lifestyle." About.com Pittsburgh. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. <http://pittsburgh.about.com/cs/pennsylvania/a/amish_2.htm>.

http://pittsburgh.about.com/cs/pennsylvania/a/amish_2.htm

“The Future of Technology and Its Impact on Our LivesBy Kunal Sinha, Ogilvy & Mather Shanghai” The Future of Technology and Its Impact on Our Lives by Kunal Sinha. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2014. <http://www.wpp.com/wpp/marketing/digital/the-future-of-technology/>.

http://www.wpp.com/wpp/marketing/digital/the-future-of-technology/

"Technology and Happiness | MIT Technology Review." MIT Technology Review. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2014. <http://www.technologyreview.com/review/403558/technology-and-happiness/>.

http://www.technologyreview.com/review/403558/technology-and-happiness/

Wall-E's Warning: How Disney Predicted Our Future

Technology: The Catalyst For American Laziness

        Part Three:

          Wall-E’s Warning: How Disney Predicted Our Future

Describing Wall-E and how its story is very relatable to what could happen to America

            So now you know that all this technology has some negative repercussions, but it can’t be too bad, right? Well, if this continues our country will just get lazier and lazier to the point where all of the once simple and refreshing aspects of life will just be wiped out. Our future is bleak and it may take some time to get there, but it could be very scary. Imagine a world where no one ever moves because technology can do everything for you. A world where computers run your life and no one needs to have their own thoughts. Sounds terrible, yet familiar, it’s almost as if I’ve seen it somewhere before. Yes, that’s right I’m talking about a Disney film. Wall-E. Could Disney have predicted our eerie future?

            If we continue on the path we are on it might not be that far off. For those of you who don’t know, in Wall-E the human race float around on chairs and talk to people through floating screens.

It seems so unlike the way we do things now and it’s an easy idea to brush off, but think about it. More and more you can find kids neglecting exercise and replacing it with watching TV and playing video games. Also, more and more fast food places are delivering now so you don’t have to leave your house to get it (Wall).  Before our very eyes we could watch our country turn into this nightmare demonstrated by Wall-E. Obesity is already growing at an unprecedented rate in America and shows no signs of slowing down. Will our world ever get to the dreaded point that it reached in Disney’s Wall-E? There is no way of knowing but if we don’t change something about the way we live, the future isn’t very bright.

            The other big theme throughout Wall-E is that the humans live in a spaceship because mass consumerism made the world uninhabitable so Wall-E stays behind to clean up the mess for their return. The Internet is the biggest reason for this. It’s not the concept of the Internet, but it’s what you can do on it. You can buy everything, clothes, movies, food; the list goes on and on (Did). Wall-E is a warning and the whole scenario of that movie should serve as a huge red flag for what our country is heading for. We are losing the simple joys that you get from going out of the house and shopping or renting a movie (How). If we don’t restore so of that in our lives our Earth could end up like the one displayed in Wall-E.

            Wall-E has given us all a glimpse into our future, and it looks like something I want to stay away from. Our society is just entirely centered around technology. We invest so much of our time on the Internet and don’t get anything that we couldn’t do in the real world. Something needs to change to prevent this Disney motion picture from becoming a reality.

           

Works Cited

"Did Disney Predict the Future of the Human Race?" The Huffington Post UK. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. <http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/lewis-shepherd/did-disney-predict-the-future-human-race_b_2494461.html>.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/lewis-shepherd/did-disney-predict-the-future-human-race_b_2494461.html

"How Technology Is Making Us Lazy." Www.mensxp.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. <http://www.mensxp.com/technology/web-and-social/9319-how-technology-is-making-us-lazy.html>.

http://www.mensxp.com/technology/web-and-social/9319-how-technology-is-making-us-lazy.html

"Wall E Fat Society - A Story Or A Prediction." Street Articles. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. <http://www.streetarticles.com/health-and-fitness/wall-e-fat-society-a-story-or-a-prediction>.

http://www.streetarticles.com/health-and-fitness/wall-e-fat-society-a-story-or-a-prediction

Google Glass, A New Danger

Technology: The Catalyst For American Laziness

          Part Two:

Google Glass, A Newest Danger

Describing the danger and uselessness of Google Glass

As time has progressed, our lives have gotten easier and our country has gotten lazier. Almost every basic task that you once had to move in order to accomplish has been eliminated in exchange for a more “efficient” way to do it. Yet I myself, along with the rest of this technology-stricken country, am a victim of this. We get caught up in all of the fascinating different technologies and forget the simple aspects of life that make it enjoyable. But I’m afraid this problem is only getting worse. The next “big idea” is here, and they are taking this idea of “efficiency” to the extreme.

            The whole idea of the product I’m talking about is wearable technology, more or less, a wearable smart phone. Google glass is a pair of glasses that you wear and it shares a lot of similar features with smart phones. It’s an idea that was first displayed in Star Trek (Google Glass: Yes).  It connects to your phone and share a lot of the same features, but with this new technology it saves you the trouble of getting your phone out of your pocket! Because that is such an exasperating task, America is just too lazy to pull out their smart phones that already do everything else for them.

            Google glass is a very intriguing technology, but just isn’t necessary. There is no need for you to basically wear a phone on your face! But with all of this new technology coming out, it just leads to people wanting more. Every time something new comes out and takes care of an old problem or need, something else is made to fill the newly created wants, and this cycle is always continuing. Our country has progressed from land lines to basic cell phones to smart phones and now to a glasses phone? The new technologies take away things you have to do yourself, with things that can be accomplished with a press of a button, in turn as technology gets more advanced our country gets lazier and less active. The Google glass doesn’t have actual lenses and all of the micro chips and smart phone data are kept on the right side of the glasses (Google Glass: Explorer). There is a small square in the corner, the “glass” part that is what you see.  To activate and use it you can touch the sensor in the corner or say, “okay Glass” then tell it what to do (Google).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1uyQZNg2vE (represents a view while wearing Google Glass.)

This product may be a big hit and it may not, but for the sake of our country it would be more beneficial if it didn’t. We are very technologically advanced as it is, these super glasses, are unnecessary to add to an already lazy country. This is merely one example of the dangerous effects all this new technology can have, and there is plenty more out there.

           

Works cited

"Google Glass Apps: Everything You Can Do Right Now." The Verge. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.

http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/20/4339446/google-glass-apps-everything-you-can-do-right-now

Google Glass Explorer Edition: Explained! Youtube. N.p., 30 Aug. 2013. Web. 18 Apr. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elXk87IKgCo>.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elXk87IKgCo

"Google Glass: Yes, It's That Bad." InfoWorld. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2014. <http://www.infoworld.com/d/application-development/google-glass-yes-its-bad-228478>.

http://www.infoworld.com/d/application-development/google-glass-yes-its-bad-228478

The Negative Effects of Technology

Technology: The catalyst for American Laziness

Part One:

Side Effects of the 21^st Century’s Technological Overload

Defining three key issues of this generation’s overuse of technology

Scroll. Click. Purchase. This is what we have replaced a short trip to the store with. Technology is always at our fingertips and gives us easy access to everything which sounds great, but is it really? Don’t get me wrong, I think that Technology is helpful for the most part, but if you are not careful, the negative repercussions will catch up to you. Relying on technology and spending too much time on it can cause you to be lazy which could lead to obesity and poor social skills. Some people hardly get out of the house due to the fact that, using technology, we have the whole world at their fingertips.

There are clear issues with America’s new obsessive use of technology. If we need an answer, we Google it. Google is not a verb! It is the name of a search engine. That’s an example of how technologically based and dependent we have become. Anyone can “Google” anything they want. It’s all so easy, instead of problem solving ourselves, now the Internet just solves them for us. And EVERYONE has this same access to technology. I see Elementary school children walking around with their eyes glued to their smart phones! That proves that this technology overload is a growing problem. At young ages kids aren’t developing social skills for face to face conversations. The Northern-Iowa Editorial Staff in Is technology harming our communication skills, reports that in a 2009 national survey 80% of Americans use the Internet. Of that 80% Americans average about 17 hours of Internet use per week. It’s the unfortunate truth that most of our communications travel through our phones and computers, because of this our social skills suffer. With texting, Twitter, and Facebook, you don’t ever have to speak to someone face to face again. All of these social networking sites have caused a major problem. Some people have difficulty developing deep, meaningful relationship because to make friends online all you have to do is click the add button. Also, why would you go out and talk to someone to find a date when you could just be paired up with a complete stranger using online dating? Our society has gotten caught up in a virtual reality and doesn’t experience the world like our parents did. Social skills are decreasing and will continue to get worse if we continue on this technological path.

I think it is very clear that America has an obesity problem. I don’t want to blame that solely on our rapidly advancing technology, but that sure doesn’t help the problem. Back 50 years ago kids would get up and walk to the library to study and research. And in today’s society I am doing all the research I need right from my computer. I don’t need to get up at all, if I want knowledge I go straight to the Internet. Some people are more dependent and it becomes a health issue. There is no need to go outside and play a sport when you can stay on your couch and play the Wii. You can shop straight from your bedroom and have your dinner shipped right to your doorstep. Most of the tasks that once required a small amount of effort can now be accomplished without moving. Video games provide all the entertainment you could ever want which means you can have fun without moving a muscle! Kids are swapping going outside and playing with their friends with staying on their couch while talking to their friends through the game. In How Technology is Making us Lazy, Tejas Moorey says about video games, “Other than depriving people of their sleep, they have made people completely avoid the outside world and immerse themselves in a virtual reality of gaming.” This is the unfortunate truth, people live in their own virtual worlds and that is causing exercise to decrease and obesity rates to increase.

            The last big side effect technology has on us is low patience. As a kid, I can easily relate to this. When my mom asks me to do something while I am watching television or looking on the computer I get impatient with her very quickly. It is something my generation has adopted and the rapidly advancing technology around us is to blame. In The 4 Negative Effects of Technology, Alice Martin talks about how gets kid frustrated so easily now with things like a web page taking a long time to load. We cannot not even wait for a site to take 10 seconds to load without getting frustrated, that is an clear sign of low patience. Parent-child relationships are weakened because kids continue to have less patience. Whenever the mother and father start talking and ask something of them, they tend to lash out and get upset. The children of this generation are at a disadvantage with all their access to technology, and young kids with shortened patience is not an ideal combination.

            Technology is on the rise, and our future could be scary. Our reliance on technology grows as every second ticks by, and if we are not careful, we will be caught up in a virtual reality. Technology has plenty of benefits, but you have to be careful to use it wisely so the negative effects don’t catch up to you.

Works Cited

"Is Technology Harming Our Communication Skills?" The Northern Iowan. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.

http://www.northern-iowan.org/is-technology-harming-our-communication-skills-1.2216499#.Uz33mlcZrfc

"The 4 Negative Side Effects Of Technology." Edudemic. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.

http://www.edudemic.com/the-4-negative-side-effects-of-technology/

"Modern Technology the Internet Demise Newspapers the Rocky Mountain News." By Erica Bradley. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.

http://www.insidetechnology360.com/index.php/modern-technology-the-internet-demise-newspapers-the-rocky-mountain-news-26204/

"How Technology Is Making Us Lazy." Www.mensxp.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014

http://www.mensxp.com/technology/web-and-social/9319-how-technology-is-making-us-lazy.html