By Yoseline Miranda

As a society, we are entirely overly reliant on technology for nearly everything. Although technology was intended to make our lives simpler, as a society we have become the worst versions of ourselves because we have become accustomed to technology solving all of our issues for us.

I don’t mean to say that technology hasn’t improved our lives. No, it has served us well in a lot of ways. Technology has majorly improved our range of communication, being used by people to stay in touch with friends and family and learn about major events we otherwise would be ignorant to. 

In my own life, technology has played a major role. I’ve known it to be a part of my life ever since I can remember. Some aspects of my life are much more simple because of technology. I can now quickly interact with family members who live in another country or with whom I don’t get to see frequently. I am more connected with the world than I could ever be without it. 

However, it isn’t all good. I was exposed to technology at an early age, and now depend heavily on it for many things. Now, things like solving math equations without a calculator, understanding directions without Google Maps, and making genuine connections without Instagram are harder for younger generations. 

And older generation who never learned how to navigate technology are almost completely cut out of the loop. 

The majority of society has grown so dependent on technology that it is now being taught to primary school students. It is no longer normal to not know how to operate technology, and that simple fact can set you behind in school and work.

This is exclusionary, as electronics and WIFI are extremely expensive, complicated, and not completely accessible yet. 

It’s also becoming uncommon to live in the moment, which I find to be one of the biggest issues with technology. Instead of experiencing the moment, people constantly utilize their phones to record memorable moments. It is disturbing how many people attend concerts and hold up their phones in front of their faces. Watching these artists perform through a screen, and not right in front of them. 

Earlier I mentioned how communication was one of the benefits of technology. I also believe our reliance on this form of communication is harmful. It is wonderful to be connected to the world, but we are also being shown horrible disasters daily which can impact mental health and skyrockey feelings of dread. 

It is wonderful that we are able to connect to communities and people we otherwise would not be able to, but now we don’t feel the need to make these connections in real life. Virtual support can only be so helpful when humans long for genuine human interaction.

I believe the pandemic had a massive role to play in our newfound dependence on technology. The pandemic forced us to learn to live our lives through our electronics, because we couldn’t leave our houses. Now that quarantine is over, people are more than happy to stay in their virtual comfort spaces. 

There are multiple different solutions to this issue. We could establish regulations to control the use of technology, inform individuals of the negative effects of an over-reliance on technology, and establish limits by shutting off electronics at certain times or while socializing with loved ones. 

I believe we should be periodically disconnecting to promote a more positive connection with technology, and remind us that we have a real, tangible world around us that we should be experiencing.