Is modern society too dependant on technology?

[HOW'S ANNIE?]

I've noticed more and more that almost every person, noth young and old, in contemporary society seems to spend such long periods of time using technology and the internet. But the question is raised; are we becoming too dependant on it?

 

It seems to be that you take somebody's smartphone and internet connection off them and they almost feel empty inside. The way I see this it's absolutely pathetic. In my opinion this type of behaviour, being instagited even worse in younger people, will eventuate in society's downfall. It's simply dumbing down, and weakening, society. When an appocalyptic event come about (which whether two years, or 2000 years down the line will happen), and there are surving humans, I don't see them lasting a long period of time without technology.

 

Personally, I prefer to depend on technology the least I possibly can. I've gone literally weeks without using the internet and even video games, and I turned out fine (no stress at all). I don't even own a smartphone (still own a Nokia which I bought for $60 back in 2009) because I believe they are useless peices of sh*t made to appeal to people who can't leave home without the internet.

 

Care to share your thoughts?

Edited June 24, 2013 by Niko Vercetti 112

[Finn 7 five 11]

Yes we are too dependant on a personal level, when the power goes out i'm usually so f*cking bored.

However a rapid transition from technology to no technology in the event of a power out isn't really a good gauge of how dependant we are, because just like anything, once you get used to not having it, it's not a problem anymore.

 

If you took technology away from people for a few weeks and gave them books and people to socialize with and other essential items, pretty quickly people would function just fine without that stuff, most people anyway, I know when I am separated from that stuff I can go without after a time.

[RoadRunner71]

Yeah, you're right. And I've gotta admit that I personally am getting more dependant on technology than a few years ago.

And what really annoys me is when parents buy kids consoles like nintendo at very young age. That way they just make them more dependant on technology, they don't develope qualities such as imagination or creativity that, in my opinion, allow them to think by themselves, instead of just following what the machine dictates them. And what is worst, when their consoles get out of battery, they just know annoying the sh*t out of you ...

[ExtremoMania]

 

These days were so dependent on technology already. I remember when I was young, whenever we go to the fastfood restaurants, I always get excited to eat especially when my mom or my grandma bought me a Chicken Joy. But now, since I have an iPad or iPhone, going to restaurants seems like I always wanted to get on FB and thus look if there's any internet connection.

 

People these days, all they look is whether if you have an internet connection and how faster can it be. That's how technology changed us, lifestyle definitely affects us.

[im_stoned]

I personally cant live without it. sad but true

[RedDagger]

I can do fine without technology, it's just technology lets me do things I like more efficiently, quicker and better, such as music and art. I don't have a phone or social networking (though I have friends on non-networking things like Skype and Steam), so anything I do outside the house is without technology.

 

However I do agree that people in general seem more reliant on tech, especially their phones. It's sad to go out and eat lunch with my family and see how often other table have phones being taken out, often mid-conversation. For some people having a bite at a cafe is more for a rest where they can text in peace, which defeats the purpose of going out with friends.

[The Armageddon(Temp)]

[Laura91]

 

Well, I wouldn't place that solely on technology and the widespread use of it. The failing educational systems (and lack of quality parenting) are more to blame than anything else.

[Red XIII]

Yes. It makes us lazy and distracts us from the more important stuff in life.

[Brobinski]

Yes. It makes us lazy and distracts us from the more important stuff in life.

He says, on a dedicated video-game internet message board.

[Happyness]

Yes. It makes us lazy and distracts us from the more important stuff in life.

He says, on a dedicated video-game internet message board.

But it is true, in this age we don't appreciate the real-life, we're too dependent and hungry for technology and internet and whatnot, to be honest it disappoints me somewhat.

[ScotchMouth]

Yes. It makes us lazy and distracts us from the more important stuff in life.

He says, on a dedicated video-game internet message board.

Doesn't make it any less true

[FAH-Q]

Yes. It makes us lazy and distracts us from the more important stuff in life.

He says, on a dedicated video-game internet message board.

How else was he supposed to say it, thru a f*cking carrier pigeon?

[darthYENIK]

I believe that society as it is right now, has kind of beat Darwin's survival of the fittest. The strong survive, the weak survive, the people who should never survive are surviving. Which is great I think. But without technology, say all the electricity went out, a la Revolution, we go back to survival of the fittest. Not necessarily those in the best shape survive, but those who know how to take care of themselves. Sure we'd all go nuts without knowing how Breaking Bad ends, or not ever getting to play the next generation of consoles, and never seeing friends and family who've moved too far away to see regularly, but that's not how we survive as a society. Yes, society as we know it, where we can communicate with people all over the world with the click of a mouse would be done. There would be a time of great chaos, but eventually we would learn to live like we did before, say the industrial revolution.

 

Technology doesn't make the society, people do.

[A J]

I believe that society as it is right now, has kind of beat Darwin's survival of the fittest. The strong survive, the weak survive, the people who should never survive are surviving. Which is great I think. But without technology, say all the electricity went out, a la Revolution, we go back to survival of the fittest. Not necessarily those in the best shape survive, but those who know how to take care of themselves. Sure we'd all go nuts without knowing how Breaking Bad ends, or not ever getting to play the next generation of consoles, and never seeing friends and family who've moved too far away to see regularly, but that's not how we survive as a society. Yes, society as we know it, where we can communicate with people all over the world with the click of a mouse would be done. There would be a time of great chaos, but eventually we would learn to live like we did before, say the industrial revolution.

 

Technology doesn't make the society, people do.

What a brilliant answer, I absolutely agree.

 

Also like the OP, I've not bothered with a smart phone or anything like that, Ipad, tablet...whats wrong with just a laptop? Nothing.

 

Technology makes us weak, people can't read maps because they're too dependent on satellite navigation technology, people can't communicate because they don't do face to face talks, people are getting fat because they no longer have to go outside to do stuff...

 

So to answer the question, yes it is.

[LibertyKing]

I hope this smart phone era will be finished when I will have kids. Some parents are giving iPhones to their babies. I personally hate addictive things. I guess this is because I am easily addicted. That is why I don't have an iPhone or any cellphone, I don't play COD or any other FPS, I don't drink coffee and I don't get money from my parents. Sadly, that day when I joined this forum marked my first addiction. I have a lot of stupid bad habits, like chewing my tongue and chew my buds off and crack my neck (I'm doing those two even while I'm writing this).

 

Of course the society is too dependent on technology. People panic when the power is out, when Xbox Live/PSN does not work, young people can't live an hour without their cellphone, there is no more way to search for something without the Internet and how would the NSA spy on people without technology?

[FAH-Q]

 

Technology makes us weak, people can't read maps because they're too dependent on satellite navigation technology, people can't communicate because they don't do face to face talks, people are getting fat because they no longer have to go outside to do stuff...

 

Then I look at it from another point of view, people can also get a lot of information and learn with just a click of a button. All you have to do is educate yourself, it's all out there to soak up.

[Guest]

I'd get by without technology. I can easily entertain myself. My mate and I made a game at school, there's this hole in the ground and we just sit there for the whole of lunch and throw stones at it.

 

I never even use a smartphone. The only pieces of technology I use regularly are TV and PS3.

 

It's annoying though say whenever my family and I go to a restaurant to eat, and you just have everyone sitting and staring at their phones.

[GunWrath]

Press the reset button, let's all start over from the Stone Age. Make the weak die and the strong survive.

[Ferocious Banger]

deleted

Edited June 24, 2013 by Ferocious Banger

[Jimmy_Leppard]

Yes.

[Ferocious Banger]

It isn't really applicable solely to the modern society, I'd say.

 

Humans, since they became what they are, have continued to try and evolve mentally, and thereby have constantly tried to develop the level of comfort, amongst other facets of their lives

 

Early human roamed around without any piece of clothing; but as necessity arose ( extreme climates for the most part ), he began wearing clothes.

 

Slowly, but steadily, clothing became an indispensable part of various civilizations. People wore clothes even if the weather didn't request them to.

 

The same can be said about walking. Most people just don't walk a lot anymore, even though that is as natural a transport mode can be.

 

The internet as we know it is far younger than the modern automobiles yet people have made internet an integral part of their lives.

 

Now people do the walking exercise in order to stay physically, and to a certain extent mentally, fit.

 

The complete dependency on the comfort of the internet will continue. I can see people taking a form of "away from the internet " exercise in order to keep a stable mental health, in the near future.

[autotheftisgrand]

Yeap. A good example was when me and my friend went to a FroYo store yesterday. Four college girls were just sitting there using their smartphones and taking selfies and sh*t like that. A thought popped in my head, who in God's name are you texting/browsing/stalking when you're already with your friends?

 

Sometimes my friends are like that, I just stare somewhere else and let my mind wander. Sure you could text or browse the net, I'm not against it but it's weird when you're in a social environment.

 

It's almost anti-social to do that and I hate the fact that it's almost an essential part of life for some people.

[trip]

If I take this question at face value and answer from a personal level.

 

Yes - if the internet goes down I can't stream movies and I am forced to re-watch something from my video library. Before the ability to rent and stream videos over the internet I was able to just walk 1 block and rent a new movie from Blockbuster. That Blockbuster is now a laundry mat.

 

There will always be a downside to the things that make life more convenient. Before cars people didn't die in auto accidents. but in today's world it sure would suck if we didn't have cars.

 

E:

Trying to correct some 'autocorrect' stuff.

Edited June 24, 2013 by trip

[Ferocious Banger]

There will always be a downside to the things that make life more convenient. Before cars people didn't die in auto accidents. but in today's world it sure would suck if we didn't have cars.

I touched upon this in my previous post. Cars weren't an integral part of life, but it is now. Obesity wasn't as prevalent as it is now back then as it is now too.

 

The above two points are closely linked together.

 

It's just like the internet; with comfort, comes a great price.

[Mcquiz]

Yes and I am very dependant on techonology because there isn't anything else good in my life right now.

 

Regarding the smartphones I have one but only because my parents bought it. If I had to buy myself a phone it probably would be a cheap Nokia. Unfortunately after using the smartphone for 1.5 years I'm dependant on that too now. Fortunately, not as much as most people my age.

[The Hippie]

Of course! I definitely think people now a days are way too dependant on technology. For myself though, I don't think I am. I feel like an outcast almost because I don't own a damn cell phone. The only time I really watch T.V. is during the football season, other than that I might watch a show here or there. I might have the T.V. on for about 2-3 hours a week, tops. I don't know anything about ipads or smartphones or any of that crap. Lately, I haven't turned my PS3 on in about 3 months (That'll definitely change once GTAV comes out!). I do use my computer quite a bit though. So, in general I do use modern technology, but I wouldn't say I depend on it. As for the majority of others, I'm not so sure I could say the same.

[El Dildo]

no.

I don't think so.

 

you'd have to define the word "too."

how can you be "too" dependent on something like "technology" ??

 

to be honest I don't think your question makes any sense.

technology literally means the tools of organization and creation that are part of the current society. it doesn't necessarily mean 'iPods and Facebook and Twitter' or anything specific. technology doesn't mean computers and TV, it means scientific understanding and advancement.

 

you can't be too dependent on technology.

because then you have to ask; compared to what? it's not like there was a time when humans lived perfect lives without technology. the world only gets better as technology spreads and improves. the world is better for everyone today because of the degree of technology that we have achieved.

 

even the very first human beings were using technology.

weapons, tools, clothes, knowledge about nature (fire, metalwork, etc); these are all innovations based on the technology of the time.

 

humans have always survived and overcome the environment thanks to technology.

no reason to slow down now.

[Ferocious Banger]

@El_Diablo

 

I was in a way, trying to say the same, but only to support myself saying "yes" to the question posed by the OP.

 

Since the day we, as humans started developing mentally, we have been dependant on technology.

 

Even though the word "too" here can be a bit ambiguous, the fact that technology is made use of excessively these days is irrefutable.

[Raavi]

That's a paradox. We simply can't be too dependant on technology as we need it to survive and thrive.