Running head: The Effects of Technology on Society

The Effects of Technology on Society

Monica Torres
The University of Texas at El Paso

Instructor: Aarin Walston

The Effects of Technology on Society

Abstract

Technology has become an enormous part of the human lifestyle. Many have engaged
in the use of smartphones, computers, etc., and others have just gone with it. Some
have investigated the effects of these devices on people suck as professor Sherry
Turkle who explains in a TED talk of how we are somehow Connected but Alone.
Technology has taken humans to the next level. It has helped with the increase of life
saving techniques. On the other hand, it has taken many to the downfall of health
issues. Technology has decreased the physical activity of many, such as the Oji-Creek
people, who had a significant health decrease since technology was introduced to their
lifestyle. Technology has become a great part of mankind nature, it has brought positive
and negative impacts, has made many defendant of it, and it has disconnected many of
the real world. Technology has become an ally to humans but it has also become its
own destruction.

Instructor: Aarin Walston

The Effects of Technology on Society

As the years keep passing, technology keeps advancing. People have developed
a strong relationship with technology it has become part of the everyday life. Many
people have engaged in the dependency of technology to complete tasks and others
simply use it for communication. However it is used, humanity has suffered great impact
with the evolution of technology. Since the 20 th century, when Internet was introduced, it
has suffered a significant increase of usage through cellular mobile phones. Technology
has evolved for the good of medicine, of weapons, and transportation, but what comes
along with all the positive impacts?
1. How do people feel about the advancement of technology?
2. How does being updated with it impact peoples lives?
3. What percentage of people relies on technology?
4. What are results of being dependent or independent of technology?
Technology can be an influential factor on societies. It can shape them to become
positive and increase knowledge or it can take them to a downfall isolation of mankind.
How do people feel about the advancements of technology?
Technology has impacted the world in many aspects. It has brought fear to
people as well as help and joy. Technology has done so much for mankind that many do
not even see how much they have been in contact with it. Having so much dependence
on the technology can generate two things. It can lead to something so positive; to
something negative depending on the side of view mankind decide to see it. According
to speaker Sherry Turkle, humans have become so dependent on the technology that
they have left the real world aside. However, many seek communication through
technology in order to talk to love ones at a far distance.

Instructor: Aarin Walston

The Effects of Technology on Society

School districts have started to debate whether children should carry books or a
tablet as a source of an electronic-book, e-book for short. 23,000 students from ages 618 were treated of back injuries due to the weight of backpacks (ProsCons 2014). It has
been suggested that with the use of these tablets, students will carry less weight and
more books. But has also become the easy access of distraction of homework. Other
aspects of society and our individual lives are also influenced by technology in many
direct and indirect ways (Pratik Butte Patil). Just as technology has helped save lives
of people, made their matters of transportation more accessible, become entertained,
and acquire knowledge just a click away; it has also lead to the laziness of many
individuals.
How does being updated with technology impact peoples lifestyles?
As the adages quotes, Necessity is the mother of invention. Just as the
necessity of becoming more knowledgeable, faster, internationally communicating,
advancing in medical research etc., newer and better technology will be created. It is
not the fact that technology makes mankind better, but how it contributes on impacting
the lifestyle of many. Without the innovation of technology, like Butte Patil mentioned,
there would be more struggles for survival, less knowledge of astronomy, and industries
might have not developed a safer environment. However, there is also a dark side to
every positive side. Technology has, in fact, improved many lives, but it has also
worsened them. The health of the Oji-Cree population began to decrease as technology
was introduced to their life (Wu, 2014). As they began to associate with television,
artificial foods, and easier methods of transportation, their athletic lifestyles stopped.
Another way technology has had a negative impact on lifestyles and cultures is the lack

Instructor: Aarin Walston

The Effects of Technology on Society

of communication. Technology has given mankind the ability to connect with people
around the globe. But this has come to a greater deal. Now people in the same home or
in the same work area have learned that chatting is a much faster way of
communicating. Discussions over dinner or work meetings have been replaced by
online communication (Sandra 2013). Facebook is been used as a source of
communicating the feelings, ideas, or thoughts of its users. However, many people have
lost the empathy towards others due to the frequent posts on social media (Calcagni
2011). As Virginia mentions, everything is done through the Internet. There is no more
showing off those life changing moments, it is simply posted and people comment.
People no longer interact, in a school campus its rare to see any student not interacting
with their mobile device. Sitting in the same table, each individual is on their own media
world ignoring its surroundings (Union 2015). All of the biggest technological inventions
created by man - the airplane, the automobile, the computer - says little about his
intelligence, but speaks volumes about his laziness. (Butte Patil)
What percentage of people relies on technology?
It can be estimated that nearly everyone has access to some kind of technology,
either being high tech or a simple utensil. Technology has now been what defines
mankind. It is what lets families, communities, students etc., communicate, learn, get
from place A to place B. Humanity has become very dependent on technology that it
takes away the patience of waiting for a simple response of a message or an email
(Butte Patil). People tend to put more attention to what is going on behind their screens
than to what is important around them (Turkle 2012). Pratik Butte Patil mentioned that in
1986 about 60% of the people reported to be living with great stress and in 1994 about

Instructor: Aarin Walston

The Effects of Technology on Society

20% said they were living with great stress daily. People need communication, human
beings are social, interactive organisms and by decreasing that natural activity leads to
stress lives.
More children ages 2-5 can open a web browser (25%) than swim unaided
(20%). 20% of children ages 6-9 use email, and 14% are on Facebook. (ProsCons
2014). Children have also evolved into the technology lifestyle. They have developed
smartphone techniques that will get them from one application to another but cannot
engage in learning how to tie their shoelaces. On campus, students have left
responsibilities aside in order to engage in video games or search the web (Union
2105). Priorities are left behind to fulfill the need of technology in their lives. In the past
years people have rapidly increased their use of technology in their life. In the year
2012, it was reported the highest of people using the Internet in smartphones and
tablets rather than desktops. 50% of US adults owned either one or the other (ProsCons
2011).
What are the results of being dependent or independent on technology?
As we expect more from technology; we expect less from each other (Turkle
2012). The dependency of technology has influenced society and has helped shape it.
With the use of technology people are now less aware of what needs the attention. Just
like Sandra suggested that multi-tasking online is not to be applauded but to be
concerned because of the impact on cognitive abilities. Mankind has set aside the
abilities needed for survival in order to catch up to the evolution of the new tech devices.
Colleges, even some grade schools, have set aside the traditional paper and pencil
techniques of teaching for computers, laptops and tablets. The web page Pros & Cons

Instructor: Aarin Walston

The Effects of Technology on Society

of Controversial Issues stated that having tables for students instead of paper books is
better for students since they are much lighter and are capable of saving up to one
hundred books. However, constant use of these devices has shown eyestrain,
headaches and increase of excuse for students not to do homework. (ProCons 2014).
Communication through technology has changed how people view themselves
and how often they communicate. Too much use of it can lead to the isolation of the
individual (Sandra 2013). Being dependent on technology has lead people to meet
others, to fall in love, to explore more than what is just in front of them, but everything
comes with a price (Calcagni 2011). People have stopped caring for others, they have
stopped taking the time to listen to their peer and giving them the chance to express
themselves. It is now been read and ignored since it is something so common people
on social media always post.

Figuere

1.

Comparision

through out the years of

increase use of fixed lines
and mobile phones.

Conclusion
In conclusion,
technology became part of the human culture. It has been introduced even to those far
away from cities. Advanced or not, mankind strives for more, for better, faster and

Instructor: Aarin Walston

The Effects of Technology on Society

fancier tech devices. They do not measure the consequences of the use of technology.
It has helped in the innovations of the medical world, in the ease of life, but it has also
isolated many from what is important. People hide behind the screen. Ideas, thoughts,
feelings are not shared anymore by human interaction but through a social media page
where those on the other side of the screen ignore and do not empathize with each
other. Humanity may communicate through the use of technology, but it is not
interacting as humans were built for. Advancement of technology has increased the
knowledge of humans in letting them know of what else is out there, in traveling into
outer space and also on land. Transportation has made it easy for people to move
around and get to places it has never been to. With the easiness of transportation,
people have set aside the physical action of walking. This has increase the laziness and
the decreased the good health of many societies. Without technology people will not
have lives. Humanity has become dependent on technology so much that social media
has become life. A day without technology is like becoming disconnected to the
outside world. People had forgotten about their surroundings, their loved one, the
important stuff due to technology. Societies are connected, but alone (Turkle 2012).

Instructor: Aarin Walston

The Effects of Technology on Society

Reference
Butte Patil, Pratik R., Mr. "Technological Advancements and Its Impact on Humanity."
Academia.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2015.
Calcagni, Virginia. "Technological World Taking over Our Society." SOUTHERN NEWS.
Southern News, 26 Oct. 2011. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
<http://thesouthernnews.org/2011/10/26/technological-world-taking-over-oursociety/>.
ProCon.org. (2014, April 9). Tablets vs. Textbooks ProCon.org. Retrieved from
http://tablets-textbooks.procon.org/
Sandra. "Does Technology Impact Culture?" Media Culture Society. N.p., 29 Jan. 2013.
Web. 30 Mar. 2015. <http://mediaculturesociety.org/2013/01/29/does-technologyimpact-culture/>.
The Union building. The University of Texas at El Paso, April 2015.
Turkle, Sherry. "Connected, but Alone?" TED. N.p., Feb. 2012. Web. 03 Mar. 2015.
Wu, Tim. "As Technology Gets Better, Will Society Get Worse?" The New Yorker. N.p., 6
Feb. 2014. Web. 01 Mar. 2015.

Instructor: Aarin Walston