Have you ever wondered what a day without your phone would be like? What about a week? A month? Could you do it?
As technology is evolving, we are becoming increasingly dependent upon it in our everyday lives. The world revolves around technology and social media now, and whether this is a positive or negative thing has become a subject of debate.
Technology has revolutionized our world. Instead of buying an expensive plane ticket to see someone, you can just FaceTime them and bridge the gap. There is an endless source of information at your fingertips through the Internet. Anything you ever need to know can be found through a simple Google search. There is no need for a map anymore when you have a GPS built into your phone. Technology has changed the way we live, but has it made life almost too easy?
Because of the increase in technology, we have lost touch with many of our social skills. Instead of actually hanging out and talking, most people will just text instead of having an actual conversation. Relationships have become defined by sweet texts or Instagram posts, not actual romantic gestures. Social status is defined by how many likes you get on Instagram, not if people actually like you. Often times when you feel uncomfortable, they automatically pull out their phone so they don't have to make awkward eye contact with the people they are passing. People are losing touch with their social skills because they are only interacting through social networks and cell phones.
As well as social issues, people are affected physically by technology. Most people would rather sit and watch Netflix, rather than going outside and being active. Children are learning how to use iPhones and iPads from the time they can talk, shortening their attention span and decreasing their physical activity. Instead of paying attention to the road, many people have fallen into the dangerous habit of texting and driving, which has lead to countless deaths and accidents across the world.
It hit me recently how scary all of these negative aspects of technology are and how if we don't change something soon, this issue will only get worse. So let's all work together to fix this. Make an effort to put your phone away and actually talk to the people around you. On your walk to class, look around at your campus instead of at Instagram. Smile at people and ask them how they are instead of looking at your phone to avoid eye contact. Go for a walk outside instead of watching another episode of Friends on Netflix. Look at the road instead of Twitter. Make an effort to see the world.
So it this amazing resource worth the price? It may or may not be. But let's make an effort to reduce the use.
