We live in a time where our phones are glued to our hands, various chargers sit snug in our backpacks, and where social media is a large part of our lives. Sure, there are always exceptions, and yes, not everyone is dependent on technology. For those of us who are dependant, however, how often do we have to justify our technological obsession before we start to realize its flaws?
Technology has its perks – don’t get me wrong. Technological advancements have led to advances not only in medicine, but in other industries as well. Parts of our lives have become easier as a result of the technologies we possess, so it is easy to make the argument that our phones and laptops do more good than harm.
We don’t need to train ourselves to wake up early because we have an alarm on our phone to help us. We don’t need to call our parents because all we have to do is send them a quick text. There is no need to actually work out math problems when there are websites online devoted to posting the answers to all of our homework. The problem with technology is not that it makes our lives easier, but that we have become lazy as a result of constant usage.
We have more information than we know what to do with, and for most of us, that’s okay. We treasure Netflix, scrolling through Facebook, and watching videos on Youtube. While I know many people who watch enriching programs or read factual articles online, the majority of us take the information we have access to for granted. Having access to technology should empower us to research the parts of life we are fascinated with. While I can’t control what everyone chooses to do with technology, I can urge those of you reading to consider becoming less dependent on it.
Rather than ask a search engine for advice, why not ask a friend in person? Rather than settle for a text message, why don’t we write to, call, or simply visit the people we want to talk to? Why do we settle for the bare minimum? Yes, technology makes daily activities much less of a hassle, but it also makes human interaction practically impossible. Our desire to stay on our phones instead of truly connecting with our peers is sad. Dependency on technology has become normalized, and while technology does have its perks, it is important to take a step back and look up from your phone every once in awhile. Life doesn’t stop for anyone, and while I’m sure you can capture most of it on Snapchat, why not savor it to your best ability instead?