By: MOHAMMAD SADAQ
World has seen an incredible advancement in nearly all spheres of life. From food to aviation, from health to economics and from trades and businesses to transportations and information, a radical shift has been introduced by the intervention of technology. If we take a glance around us, we see many things that are available to us only because of technology. Electronic devices have made work easier and by pressing a single button our dishes are washed, our clothes cleaned and dried and our food is cooked. Because of technology our homes are warm and cozy in the winters and cool and breezy in the summers. We now have refrigerators to store our food so that we can use it for longer periods of time.
Scientists have come up with great preservatives and modern methods that are used to keep food safe and keep it usable for longer times- even milk can be stored for months. Hi tech purification plants are now being used to purify milk in an automatic way so that the vitamins and mineral are not wasted whereas all the harmful bacteria are removed. Similarly water purification plants and systems have made it easier for most people to have access to cleaner better water.
In the field of logistics and aviation influenced by technology we have a great transportation system that can take us to any corner of the world with ease and in quick time. Air travel is considered to be the safest travelling mode till date. The field of logistics deals with the delivery of goods and packages across the world. The technological advancement in aviation has given boom to this industry as well. Now businesses can easily expand worldwide and products can reach to the customers without any hassle.
The one invention that has largely impacted human life is the computer technology and internet that has made every single way of life easy- be it education, business etc. Also, when the invention was first made, a single computer needed large space but now a computer can be as small as a palm. With the automation of many programs, we now have fewer chances of errors. The internet has eased our work and revolutionized our information systems. We now have access to tons and tons of the latest research and developments.
Similarly, technology has revolutionized our healthcare as well with doctors and physicians having great machines and techniques to assist them in diagnosing as well as treating many ailments. Robotics surgeries and modern facilities of tests and medical examinations are a new addition to our healthcare system. Doctors sitting thousands of miles away can control robotic arms to perform surgeries and procedures on patients. Resident doctors take help in the same way from their mentors during difficult procedures. Also, if any groundbreaking surgery is being performed, it is telecasted live through the internet so that doctors around the world can learn the latest discovery in the field of medicine. The drugs are also developed after more research and testing which makes them more effective.
While we cannot count the many bounties of technology, there are a few negatives it has brought and the biggest drawback of technology is that it has started to take a toll on our health. With the excessive use of technology designed to make our lives easier, it has been noted that our body is beginning to show signs of retirement. The body has been designed to perform well under pressure. It starts to jam up if it is not used positively. If all our daily work chores are being done by technological devices, then we spend the day shuffling the television channels. Technology use is directly being linked to harmful diseases like obesity, diabetes, stress, depression, fatigue, cancer and much more.
Our children have resigned to a life of passivity avoiding recreational centers, parks and playfields and have rather chased to stay lured with gadgets including mobile phones, computers and laptops. A single computer or mobile phone is all they ask for even if you offer them a trip to a garden or a playground. Internet has made us closer to the digital global community but is taking us far from our family living besides us. Also, with the excessive amounts of information, there is no check or balance. Information travels at the speed of light. It is hard to differentiate the right kind of information from the wrong one. Students are more inclined towards plagiarism, cheating and other unethical practices as Technology leads them to find a shortcut.
Pornography and unethical content is easily accessible to anyone having access to the internet. Without the implementation of strict regulations from the government, the society will continue to drown in the abyss of bad and inappropriate information. Excessive use of technology demands efforts that are affecting our environment. Our factories, plants, transportation means all emit harmful gases into the atmosphere that have huge negative impacts on us. More and more natural resources are being used up fast to accommodate for the excessive needs of humans.
The level of impact that technology has on the society and an individual can vary and depends on how strong regulations are administered. There is a need to balance the use of technology so that it helps our life become easier without having any negative impacts. Technology has helped us reach the stars. This clearly shows that there are no bounds to where technology can take us and what it can do. It is important to regulate advancements in technology so that it we are able to take the positives of it but at the same time keep a check on the negatives.
The writer is a Graduate Student
