Too Much Tech
If suddenly all of the technology in the world stopped working, how many people would no longer have a purpose in life? Not have any chance of survival? Or drop dead immediately?
More than you think.
Technology is a comprehensive term, but I’m talking about social media, AI, the internet, etc.
Is this a problem? Are humans now too reliant on technology?
Technology has now become a convenience and necessity and not a gift or blessing.
Have we, as humans, crossed a line in our reliance on technology? Are we now at a point where our survival is intertwined with the functioning of our devices?
Technology is diminishing the critical thinking part of the brain. For instance, the ease of access to information through the Internet has made us less inclined to remember or think deeply about what we learn. We simply Google it and move on without truly understanding or retaining the information.
For example, whenever you need to get somewhere, you just put the address into your phone and go where it tells you to. Used to, you had to be able to read a map and determine what road the place you needed to go was on. Then you had to know what roads to take to get there. In some cases, navigating the interstate highway and remembering the specific exit was necessary to get where you needed to go. You also had to pay attention while driving to avoid missing any street, exit, or sign.
Now, you just have to hear the automated voice say, “Turn left.”
We are allowing technology to do our thinking for us. This over-reliance could lead to a significant loss of our cognitive abilities. Our brains may eventually deteriorate to a point where we can no longer rebuild them.
How can you stop this?
Technology has made life overly convenient, so find ways to avoid using it to make your life easier. Don’t have chatGPT write your emails; write them yourself. Whenever you want to learn something, read a book or article about it instead of watching a YouTube video or listening to a podcast. Hand-write letters to your friends and family instead of texting and emailing them.
Find a hobby, or hobbies, that force you to use your mind: crossword puzzles, sodoku, or even wordle.
It’s important to remember that not all technology is detrimental. Many advancements have greatly improved our lives. However, we need to be cautious about dependency on technology.