Communication Technology Invasion

The world is much different from the way it was hundreds of years ago, and this is largely attributed to the advent of the internet. The internet has made life easier for people in many ways, even though some may end up getting addicted in the process.

In this article, you will learn a few benefits that come with the judicious internet use

Education

The internet is one of the places where you can learn almost anything for free. There is a truckload of resources on the internet that you might never get to exhaust because people keep uploading every second.

Hence, it is important to be certain about what you want to learn on the internet per time before you start consuming those resources.

Better communication

Communicating with people has never been better thanks to the presence of the internet. You can communicate with people who live several miles away because of the internet. The interesting part is communicating through the internet is fast, seamless, and easy.

Fast access to information

If you want to remain abreast of what is happening in society and the world, the internet should be your go-to place. With a few clicks, you can have access to the different news outlets that contain the latest information that you need.

Better business prospects

For business owners, the internet can be leveraged to access a larger audience.

You can have people who will be ready to pay for your products and services without the need to meet you physically. The internet can also give you insights into the strategies that your competitors are implementing.

One of the mistakes that people make when it comes to the internet, is spending several hours there at the detriment of other productive tasks.

If not used properly, the internet can be a huge distraction tool.

Therefore, it is best to be intentional and laser-focused about what you need the internet to do for you instead of spending time roaming different online platforms with no purpose in mind.

Internet addiction is an example of behavioral addiction which is characterized by spending several hours on the internet at the detriment of other productive tasks.

With the signs mentioned in this article, you will be able to tell if you or someone you know is addicted to the internet or not.  

Spending most of your working hours online

One of the ways to know that internet addiction is in play is when you spend more time on the internet instead of attending to other important duties.

For instance, if a student is addicted to the internet, they may not prioritize academic duties because their attention is fixated on different online activities.

Hence, even though they are aware of the negative consequences that come with this negligence, they still prefer to spend more time on the internet.

Loss of interest in hobbies and important activities

Another sign of internet addiction is when you don’t feel like doing your hobbies anymore because you prefer to spend time on the internet. Some of the people who know you might notice a shift in your interests which might be strange to them.

Relationship problems

People addicted to the internet are more likely to have unstable relationships, and this is because they don’t invest much time in fostering relationships with people. They spend more time on the internet which may result in conflicts with people who are close to them.

Work/School Problems

Another sign of internet addiction is when the individual begins to experience some problems at school or work.

Someone addicted to the internet is likely to ignore work and school, and pay more attention to the internet. In the long run, they will discover that their performance is below par because they spend excess time on the internet.

If you think that you are struggling with internet addiction or you know someone who is, you can seek help at a rehab. With proficient counseling and addiction therapy, the root cause of the addiction will be addressed and it could become easier to provide a long-lasting solution.

Introduction

The problem of technology dependence manifests itself through different addictions like gaming and porn addiction. Some other common problems caused by technology dependence include

– Shopping addiction, some people can’t just stop shopping because shopping has become easy to do.

– Social media addiction is a common disorder among teens.

– Nomophobia, in other words, NO MOre PHOne BIA.  

Also, people who tend to develop severe anxiety in the absence of technology should seek help. In this article, we will attempt to list some practical steps people can take to solve the problems of technology dependence.

How to Solve the Problem of Technology Dependence

For the scope of this article, we consider the reliance on technology a habit problem. The solutions we will proffer are practical habitual steps to break off the bad habit.  

• Turn Off your Devices for Short Periods

Learn to start small by turning off your devices for short periods. For example, you can turn off your phone during dinner. You can also utilize the scheduled power-off feature on your phone or computer. When you take short walks, you can leave your phone at home.

In line with the Two-Minute Rule, “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.” When you want to develop a habit of keeping away your devices, you can start with short intervals.

• Develop New Habits

The addiction to technology is developed during periods of idleness. To curb this, stop being idle. When you have nothing to do, you can pick up a new activity. You can take a walk down your street, you can pick up a book, you can do the dishes, etc.

Just come up with something that appeals to you in the moments when you are idle.

• Turn Off your Notifications

Notifications are like the wheels that turn your attention to your phone every minute. Develop the habit of turning off your notification. It will prevent you from looking at your phone every second.

Introduction

The ease that technology brings to our lives is undeniable. The 21st century has brought unprecedented strides in technological advancements. The tendency to be overly dependent on technology has its downsides which will explore in this article. 

What are some disadvantages of being dependent on technology?

Major Disadvantages of Technology Dependence

• It affects the Memory

Contrary to popular belief that our memory is helped by technological devices, the reliance on technology somewhat ails our memorization ability. People don’t need to remember the exact figure of “pi” as they are a Google search from it.

The fact that almost every information we need is some clicks away from us causes us not to stress memorizing them. The lack of memorization causes impairments in the memory section of our brain.

Technology is addictive 

In the past, people battled drug and alcohol addictions, sex addictions, etc. However, with the advent of technological devices, there is a wider range of addictions such as video game addiction, phone addiction, etc. They are all captured within the spectrum of “technology addictions”

The tendency to be overly dependent on technology can cause extreme anxiety when there’s no technology around. People can get addicted to porn, gaming, or other things they frequently do on their devices.

• It is Affecting Human Interaction

As people prioritize their “screen-time” over “people-time” they tend to become less relatable. In the past, social culture was based on how people interact physically.

Nowadays, cyberbullying and online abuse are becoming more commonplace because people care less about the person at the receiving end. The dependence on technology is causing more people to become insensitive.

Conclusion

Technology is a gift whose impact is undeniable. However, when a person becomes overly dependent on technology, there’s a propensity for such a person to have a defective personality.    

Some particular signs of premature aging are “wrinkles, sagging, brown spots and blotches, redness and visible capillaries, dry, and dull skin.” But, the fact of the matter is that when people think of premature aging it is usually in relation to the effect of the sun’s harmful UV rays. However, while many have the ability to protect themselves from these physical changes through preventive measures, others may do the exact opposite, and instead, speed up the process via drugs. In turn, addiction can cause premature aging to arise more often than not, slowly altering the individual’s appearance.

Consequently, that particular person may be so far in abusing the substance to the point where he/she may not even notice the changes that are taking place in that of his/her physical features. For, such features may shift at a slow rate, over the course of the time that the addict uses the drug. In contrast, the addict could be aware of the sudden change, yet be far more worried about his/her next fix. In these instances, this is where the family, friends, and/or loved ones would oftentimes notice changes in appearance long before the addict himself/herself does. 

Premature aging can easily be seen when researching the effects that drugs have on a person’s physical appearance. It is through said research that a number of images can serve as examples to such, one of the most common being the results of meth. The reason that these hard substances affect one’s outward appearance is because it is affecting his/her inward appearance just as much, by tearing down and/or damaging his/her immune system bit by bit. That’s why these types of drugs do more harm rather than help to the individual who consumes them.

In conclusion, premature aging can be stopped before it is too late. But in order to do so, it is most effective if the addict seeks out treatment and/or help within the early stages of his/her addiction. It is only then that he/she has the ability to stop the first signs of premature aging. If he/she fails to do so the effects of it are oftentimes irreversible because the aging that has already happened cannot be undone. Fortunately, if the person begins working towards sobriety, he/she can put a halt on premature aging before it gets too far out of hand.

Seconds turn into minutes－and minutes turn into hours－before one begins to realize all the time they’ve spent scrolling through news feed after news feed. One app closes out, and quickly turns into another, as what was once seen as a way to “pass the time” suddenly becomes all consuming. Some even find themselves growing bored, yet still scrolling in repetition, unable to keep their right thumb from moving in an upward motion. They have checked out, but their mind has not, as FOMO－along with other psychological traits－begins to take hold.

In relation, our current day and age allows pre-teens, teens, and/or young adults the access to several forms of technology－whether it to be through laptop, phone, tablet, TV, and a number of other outlets. And as a result－no matter their preference－they oftentimes find themselves consumed by certain media habits, becoming accustomed to a wide range of technology through adaptation－and/or growing up in a world that has provided them with such. But in consequence, they begin failing to remember that they aren’t the only ones, and that there are many who haven’t been as “fortunate” to grow up in such an era. And in response those particular people are oftentimes deemed as “old”, and pitied for their lack of knowledge in regards to the tech world.

Not only that, but those who aren’t of this generation－who don’t engage in the same media platforms－such as Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, etc.－are outcasted all the same as many individuals use these platforms to add, friend, or follow peers, colleagues, and even strangers/celebrities that they feel influenced/inspired by. But, what happens to those who’d rather read a paperback book, and feel the pages beneath their thumbs, rather than to hold an e-reader. Or what happens to those who’d much rather turn on their radio, and pop in a CD or cassette tape, rather than to download a song via iTunes or google music.

In turn, it seems as though we live in a generation in which even iPods are becoming outdated, due to the rapid acceleration of technology. It’s in the midst of such that overlapping generations are having to become accustomed to one another’s technology usage－and/or habits－and help one another, rather than dehumanize him/her based on his/her knowledge. In conclusion, next time grandpa, grandma, mom, or dad find themselves struggling with their Bluetooth don’t hesitate to take out the time to be gracious, and assist them in their endeavors.  

More and more, we are interacting with technology to accomplish tasks instead of people. Technology takes our money and pumps gas into our cars, technology allows us to shop from home instead of with other shoppers, and technology is even the middle man between ourselves and other people most of the time, via computers and cell phones. This trend is hampering our ability to connect with one another and the consequences are more serious than one might believe. There are actually people falling in love with entirely digital personas and craving intimate relationships with them. If this does not strike you as disconcerting, your thinking is unhealthy.

This trend is appearing on many levels of society. Jobs that used to be for people are being replaced by jobs for machines and electronics. The ethic of efficiency in work is being valued over the ethic of a balanced society where all members have work to sustain themselves with. This is a sign of an anti-social society that could be going down a dangerous path of anti-humanism. This cultural shift is a sign of the times and should have people very concerned for the future.

Secondly, our social skills that enable us to connect with other humans deteriorate when we interact with machines instead of people. Socializing is an art form that requires a fair amount of practice. It is highly dependent on all people who are part of an exchange being aware that the other’s perspectives are as valid as theirs. It requires a steady give and take of offering input and receiving input. These are things we cannot learn from technology, only from interacting with other humans and seeking relationships with them.

The cuts that have been made to human interaction for the sake of communication technology are creating a culture of narcissism and sociopathic tendencies. People are beginning to prefer relationships with their technology over relationships with one another. We are in danger of devaluing human life and losing our human identity if this trend persists.

Communication technology is necessary in the world we live in, but recent trends would indicate that we are taking our dependency on communication technology to an unhealthy extreme. People are becoming addicted to their communication technology, they are becoming unable to function without it, and they are forgetting that communication technology is not sustainable enough to depend on at the level we are depending on it. It is important that we realize this as a culture before it is too late.

Addiction to communication technology is a real thing. Many people scoff at this idea, but brain studies have shown that the brain reacts toward a technology addiction the same way it reacts to any other type of addiction. The chemical dopamine is produced and the brain forms neural pathways around the pleasure reaction so that it can achieve the same effect at other times. Technology addiction is incredibly prevalent in our lives but it is a recent, unstudied phenomenon that is not socially embraced yet. Awareness of this addiction problem needs to increase so that we can avoid its destruction.

Being unable to function without communication technology is bad for people on many levels. Becoming too accustomed to it to the point of being lost and dysfunctional without it is an unhealthy state to be in. Humanity evolved without communication technology, and it is in its most natural state when it is not dependent on something recent and unnatural in order to get through the day.

In addition, communications technology is more sustainable than oil dependent technology but it still leaves a considerable carbon footprint on the planet through its energy usage. No one should be dependent on a technology that is unsustainable and harms the planet. Communications technology has a long way to go before it is an ethical use of energy.

And lastly, being overly dependent on any kind of technology makes people spend too much time on their relationships with machines and not enough time on their relationships with people.

Communications technology is not an inherently bad thing. Like all things that humans want to overuse, it is only bad when we cannot exercise a suitable level of restraint over it. Communications technology has the potential to infiltrate society on a much deeper level than it already has, which would mean destructive consequences. It is very important that awareness be brought to the matter of limiting our interaction with our communication technology so that it does not collectively damage us.

• If communications technology continues to grow rampantly and replace in person human interaction, we face the possibility of a fragmented society, fraught with broken relationships. We evolved as a species to thrive on personal interactions with other people. Our dependence on phones and computers has contributed to the de-evolution of our social abilities. Instead of interacting with one another in person, we interact with keyboards and screens, and we are becoming disconnected from one another.
• There is the potential (albeit somewhat science fiction) hazard of artificial intelligence conflicts and ethics in our future, which would drastically alter our relationship with communications technology. This possibility is on the distant horizon, but it would entail the event when we create technology that is so intelligent that it develops a consciousness. Knowing how to handle this type of technology will either influence us to be more dependent on our communications devices, or it may force us to discard them if the AI is hostile.
• Increased interaction with communications technology certainly has the potential to effect our physical health. Our advancements in this area are relatively very new. We have no idea what the long term effects of being exposed to this many wireless signals and radio waves does to our physical bodies. It could be cancer causing, or increase the likelihood of a number of other diseases.
• A lesser quality of life in general is also a very real possibility if we do not learn to limit our use of communications technology. Our interactions with the natural world are a very important component of who we are as individuals and as a global society. If this element is replaced by our interactions with communications technology, a part of us will be lost.

Our present reality is one filled with a great deal of communication technology. Everywhere we turn, we see people on cell phones, personal computers and a range of other media and communication devices. People start and end their days on these devices, referring to them through out the day for information, communication and entertainment. Our labor force, economy, scientific studies and national security measures are all tied to communications devices now, and we would be rendered helpless if we were unable to access them. This seems like a philosophically unsound existence, but it is indeed the state of things.

Communication technology has become invasive. This is a widespread complaint about phones, computers and other communications devices. It is overly present at every occasion. Whether it is the workplace, movie theater, dinner table or birthday party, communications devices are present, much to the demise of good social skills. This recent phenomenon is met with a great deal of resentment, both from generations that are unaccustomed to it and younger generations who were raised to limit their use of communications devices. There are certainly occasions that call for leaving phones and tablets at home, or at least out of sight.

Communications technology has also been found to have addictive properties, which is never good for anyone’s mental or physical health. Addiction is defined as anything that a person focuses on to the extent of losing control of the rest of their life. Having an addiction to something means that you will neglect everything else in order to focus on the addiction. This epitomizes what is happening with cell phones and computers. People would rather be on their phones than drive safely, watch where they are walking or socialize with the person right in front of them. They would rather be on computers than work, leave the house or exercise. We have a very serious problem of addiction to communications devices in our culture.

The question is, are communications devices a necessary evil? Are we better off with them or without them? They have certainly done a lot to connect us to friends and relatives who are far away. But have they separated us from and made us take for granted the people directly in front of us?