Reflection Essay on Technology and New Technological Generation
The tremendous development in technology and the diversity in this industry have drastically changed the lifestyle of people in society. The progress in technology has good impacts as well as bad implications to people. In many ways, technology simplifies life,and it has many beneficial effects to the community and the human condition. On the other hand, the result of the technological progress has brought many complications to our lives.
However, the negative and positive effects of technology depends completely on people’s exposure to it and the use that they give it. To begin, the enormous progress in technology is responsible for the great forward revolution in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing, warfare, transportation, information, medicine, communication and so on. The mass media, for instance, is one of the most representative areas. We have radio, television, telephones, Internet, and every other device that will fit in the palm of the hand.
Another example is the technological advance in the area of medicine that has introduced the latest tools to improve quality patient care. Furthermore, technology plays an important role in international trade because the world market has been globalizing by it. In other words, the most important contribution of technology to society is making the lives of common people much easier and helping them achieve what was previously not possible. On the other hand, the huge development in technology has also complicated life, and it has many negative effects on people.
First of all, the new technology in mass media changes cultural values and social behaviors by spreading ideas, values, behavior patterns within a society and among different groups. Some technologies also have negative effects on the environment, such as pollution, and lack of sustainability because they are designed to economic effects only. The new forms of entertainment, such as Internet, and video games have serious effects on children and adults causing obesity, laziness, and loss of personality.
In addition, through the Internet, the pornographic and gambling industries have been introduced for the various web sites. Therfore, the consequences of the technological advance does not only affect the people it also affect the planet. As a matter in fact, technology has been part of life on the earth since the advent of the human species like language, rituals, commerce, and the arts. Technology is an intrinsic part of human culture and it shapes society as well as is shaped by society.
However, the positive or negative effect of technology on society will depend on the choices that people make. These choices between increasing technology include, rising to consumer demands, products channels of distribution, and people’s ability to gain these products with ease. Other effects of technology are beliefs regarding to freedom of choice, materialism, consumerism, and the utilization of technologies just as people requests. To illustrate, technology could be used to maintain, prolong, or terminate a life depend on the patient’s desire.
Therefore, the difference in a person attitude towards technology is dependent on that person’s exposure to it rather that the notion she/he has of it. In conclusion, the technologies available to people greatly influence how their lives are as well as people have influence on technology’s development and how it is used. Indeed, the industrial revolution is still underway changing patterns of work and bringing with it the economic and social consequences. The more obvious economic effect of the industrial revolution is the depletion of nonrenewable natural resources such as petroleum, coal, and ores.
The social consequences of the technological modernization are the negative impact on people’s behavior and the creation of the new technological generation. However, people should take advantage of the technology advances and use it wisely in benefit to their lives. For example, people could use technology to create shortcuts in working and making tasks easy too. On the contrary, unfortunately, people could use technology to create weapons of massive destruction. Finally, we are the new technological generation, so not only the future of this civilization but the future of the planet is in our hands.
