It is nearly challenging to envision what living would be without tech. We became so reliant on technology, that it is now an inseparable aspect of our life. Life has become easier, more accessible, faster, and more fun as a result of technological advancements. Almost everything that we do includes technology in some manner, which raises the question of whether we as a generation are overly reliant on technology. 

What are the Implications of Tech?

Technology has had a major impact on every aspect of civilization. It has revolutionized the way we interact, boosted our ability to travel, and even influenced cultural transformation inside our civilizations. The higher the advancement of technology, the bigger the impact on society as a whole. A quick comparison between the societal progress of the 19th century with the tremendous progress recorded in present-day society tells us a lot about the impact of technological advancement.

Technology's Impact on Entertainment

Before technology revolutionized everything, entertainment consisted of going to the circus, watching a play, or having lunch with family. It was when cinema was introduced (a product of technology) that changed the way people consumed entertainment. Shortly after the introduction of television sets, people started embracing this new medium of entertainment which could be consumed without leaving the house! Over the course of time, the result of technological advancements has led to an overwhelmingly vast range of entertainment options being made available via multiple channels. This is perhaps the biggest game-changing disruption that technology has introduced in our lives - infinite options. There are more entertainment sources at home these days than there are outside the home—you can watch tens of thousands of movies, shows, sports games, and other content from your TV, computer, or directly from your phone.

And that's just passive entertainment; countless video games may keep you actively interested for even longer periods of time without leaving your house. Because of the new incorporation of VR (virtual reality) in video games, you may now simulate ‘real-word’ outdoor activities such as bowling, paintballing or even outdoor sports - right from your living room.

The Social Impact of Technology

Humans require interaction with other humans; it is in their nature. However, technology is gradually eroding the need to communicate with other individuals in person. For example, the invention of social media platforms has enabled people to interact with millions of other people online, whom they haven’t met before in the real world and probably would have never communicated with outside of social media. Today, you can form a complete social network of people online, without ever meeting them in person. However, it does little to improve our social communication skills. And if we let social media overtake our life, it can render us to become distant from the people who are actually around us. 

The Impact of Technology on How We Travel

Before technology revolutionized the way we travel, long-distance travel took an exceptionally long time, and the journey was risky. It was not unusual to succumb to sickness, hunger, or significant injuries while traveling. Nowadays, traveling anywhere around the globe usually takes less than a day, and the hazards involved in long-distance traveling are minor.

Not only did the invention of trains and airplanes reduce travel time, but the invention of GPS and its widespread use has made it simple for people to accurately use it for going to new places without getting lost. The convenience of GPS-enabled maps is such that today we are hardly bothered about going in the wrong direction, or ending up in trouble in a new place because our phones can guide us to our proper destination without any external help.  Online Maps will even advise you on which routes will take the least amount of time and which roads to avoid due to traffic or other issues that may slow you down.

The Impact of Technology on Communication

Humans had to meet in person to communicate before technologies. The use of messenger enabled long-distance communication, but interaction back and forth would take a long time due to the writers' locations. The telegram, introduced roughly two centuries ago, increased the speed with which two people could communicate back and forth from a range.

The telephone, although, was the ultimate game-changer. The telephone enabled people to communicate with one another without having to be in the same place at the same time. Over time, smartphones have enabled people to call, text, and even video chat with one another and completely upgraded the basic functions of the telephone. But in terms of disruptive technology, it is safe to say that the invention of the telephone was one of the biggest milestones in technological advancements. The evolution of smartphones today is just a byproduct of similar technology.

The Impact of Technology on Research

Up until 50 years ago, research was a far bigger challenge. If you wished to undertake research, you'd have to go to the local public library and hope they had the information you needed. However, the invention of the Internet changed the way we accessed research. It is virtually an infinite reservoir of knowledge, making it easier than ever to conduct research and educate yourself. Indeed, it has never been easier to share news and information, which has both beneficial and harmful consequences. Although individuals are more aware than ever and can readily educate themselves on a wide range of topics thanks to the Internet, the ease with which knowledge spreads has also proven to be dangerous. Misinformation can also spread quickly and have catastrophic repercussions.

How To Tell If You Are Overly Reliant on Technology? Here are some Signs:

• You feel nothing can be achieved without the use of the internet.
• You don't live in the moment; you record it.
• When you're online, you lose track of time.
• You use calculators for simple calculations, which can be easily done in your head.
• You tend to get anxious without being connected to the internet.
• You can't recall any phone numbers and completely rely on your phone to store contact information.
• You have difficulty sleeping.
• You allow apps to make decisions for you.
• You've lost your creative spark because you’re too zoned out into the virtual world.

Technological reliance can actually impede further technological advancement for our civilization as a whole, but it also has a number of personal risks. Aside from challenges such as technology addiction and a general sense of impatience induced by the ease of technology, misuse of technology has also been connected to anxiety and depression, as well as other mental illnesses. Frequent Smartphone use has been proven in studies to impair our memory, because we are used to readily storing information in our phones or computers, without making an effort to retain it in our memories.

Although it is easy to argue that society is overly reliant on technology, it is impossible to deny the role that technology has had on society as a whole. In several ways, technology has made life easier, safer, longer, and more enjoyable. The trick is to strike a balance in our usage of technology. Instead of letting it run our lives, we should know to use technology in a way that it makes our lives simpler, without losing control of our decision-making capabilities.