This semester, I am taking an English course entitled, “Ghostly Bodies and Dreaming Machines: The Question Concerning Technology and Ontology.” When I signed up for the class, I was not sure what I expected to get out of it. Mainly, I was taking it to fulfill a certain aspect of my English major, and I had taken a course with the professor before and had a good experience with her teaching style.
I remember looking at the list of books I had to purchase for the semester, and letting out an exasperated sigh. They were all science fiction books, but not the hip, dystopian novels like Divergent or The Hunger Games. Rather, they were hard core, old-school science fiction novels.
Despite my initial concern, I have been pleasantly surprised with the discussions we have had thus far. One conversation was particularly striking to me: Does technology free us or confine us? I think it had such resonance with me because I am guilty of being plugged into my phone or iPad or computer way too often -- in the elevator, while my parents are talking to me, etc. Sometimes, I am sad to say, I even check social media while I am in my big lecture classes. As a result, I am frequently distracted.
After assessing my personal technology use, I was left with an uneasy feeling. I had always thought that my devices were a positive thing. Could it be possible that I have just been fooling myself? Have we all? Or am I just overreacting? After this discovery, I thought I would explore both sides of this argument. Here are the pros and cons of technology, if you will.
How does technology free us?
Imagine trying to do half of the things you have to do for school without using any form of technology. Do you think you could do it? I definitely do not think I could. With the technology we have now, you can find any piece of knowledge your heart desires. The world is at your fingertips. Technology also has boosted our ability to communicate, both with friends nearby and strangers across the globe. Overall, it has made our society more globalized, and, as a result, it has helped us break down a little bit of that “otherness” barrier many people experience. In a sense, technology has made our world a more cohesive body.
How does it confine us?
As I mentioned earlier, sometimes we let our technology distract us from what is going on around us. Some people would rather be plugged in to a virtual reality than experience the real thing. Consequently, I think people have stopped living to a certain extent. Even though technology allows us to experience so many new things that would not be possible otherwise, it also hinders us from taking action.
Furthermore, because we have gotten so used to communicating via technology, we sometimes struggle with normal social interactions. Think about it, how often have you pretended to be on your phone so you didn't have to talk to someone you don’t know very well? If people continue down this path, I believe that we will get to the point where we have little, if any, physical encounters with other individuals.
So where does that leave us?
Obviously I am not saying that we should give up technology. The benefits highly outweigh the negative aspects of it. However, we have to find a balance.
