Technology is amazing and offers us ways of completing tasks that were difficult for us in the past. I always find myself wondering what life would be without my phone, laptop etc. I rely heavily on these innovations to get through my day to get work done or for my own self-enjoyment. So what if we did not have these technological advances? What would the world look like if we progressed at a snail's pace? It is hard to imagine especially since we know what life is like with technology and modern advancements.

Let us take our phones, for example, most of us can't go 30 minutes without looking at them or feeling to make sure it's on us. Instead of wondering whether if we didn't have phones the question is what if we didn't advance our phones from the flips phones of 2005. This is not a wild thought since these phones are still used usually by an older demographic, but what if that was our only option. I would never trade in my iPhone for a Motorola Razr, however, not too long ago that was my only option. It is amazing how less than two decades later we have touchscreen phones that unlock with facial recognition.

I would never trade my phone in for an older model but what I realize is that older technology allowed us to be more socially aware. Authentic relationships are harder to come by because people are caught up in social media and their image. Life is more than this and one should not put as much stock in getting a like on Instagram as the actual person truly caring for them. As technology progresses society steps away from sociability and genuine human connections towards more screen time and less interconnectivity.

What I am presenting is not new information but a regurgitation of what most researchers have been saying now for years. What I am not saying is that we should get rid of advancements like phones. Phones are a great example of the issue but while there are negatives the positives outweigh them. Technology is not going anywhere and keeps getting better, we can't pull people away from their screens but we can make their usage more productive. Although this may seem like wishful thinking it is possible.

The future holds many opportunities for technology and society. We must hold a balance between our social lives and technology. We are enamored to stay stuck in our ways but as technology develops so must we.