Is Our Dependence on Technology too Much?
Have you ever thought about what would life be like if something happened to your phone or your laptop crashed? Could you survive? You should know that technology dependence is a real thing. Specialists claim that this kind of addiction is one of the most dangerous addictions in society. However, you should know that you’re not alone. There are thousands of people just like you. In order to figure out whether or not you have a problem, you should take a look at the signs we have gathered and decide for yourself. Only you can know, but make sure you don’t find all kinds of excuses for your problem.
1. You don't live in the present
Did it ever happen to you that you lost a precious moment just because you were trying to capture it on tape? If so, it means that your dependence on technology is too high. If you rely too much on technology, you might miss out on a lot of things in the real world.
2. Nobody knows phone numbers
Do you remember the times when people used landlines to call each other and they actually knew the numbers? In our days everybody has the numbers saved in their phones and if something happened to them or they got lost, you wouldn’t be able to contact anybody.
3. Breaking up without texting
How bad does it seem to break up with your boyfriend face-to-face? Our dependency on technology is so great that people can use it to avoid face-to-face confrontations. Although this may seem more convenient, don’t forget that the essence of the message might get lost.
4. Old fashioned stores are obsolete
One of the advantages of technology is that you can handle all kinds of things from the comfort of your home. People got used to ordering products online so that they don’t have to go to the store. Nonetheless, shopping around has its own magic too.
5. You can't live without your phone
Some people say that they feel naked without their phone. This proves that people have become overly dependent on technology. Checking your phone has become acceptable in all kinds of social situations and some people check it 30-40 times per hour.
6. It divides us
It is common to walk in a cafe and see people staring at their phones or tablets instead of talking to each other even if they are sitting at the same table. Family dinners are about the same too. Instead of bringing us closer together, technology is simply dividing people.
Is Technology Dependence Getting Too Much in Our Lives? Are You Addicted to Technology or Is It Just a Necessity
So, what about your dependence on technology? Love it? Hate it? Can’t live without it? Find out just how addicted to technology you really are?
1. You don't live in the present even though you’re trying
When thinking about dependency on technology, think about this situation: you go to the dance recital of your niece, who has a solo. You want to get it on tape, but you can’t turn it on. When you finally manage, it says that you need to change the batteries and when you finally change them, you realize that its memory is full. By this time the solo is over. You have lost precious moments of your life than you will never be able to get back. Was it worth it?
Specialists agree that some people have become overly dependent on technology. They remove themselves from the moment to see things through the lens of their phone or their camera and they fail to recognize that the true value is for them to see it with their own eyes. Nonetheless, there are some counter-arguments as well saying, that if people wouldn’t capture things, millions of people couldn’t see faraway lands or things happening on the other side of the world.
2. Nobody knows phone numbers – they are in our phones
You may know one or two phone numbers, such as your mom’s and your boyfriend’s, but if you need to call somebody, you just search in your phone. You can know you are too dependent on technology if you lost your phone and you’d have no way of getting in touch with people anymore, not even the most important people in your life. Another aspect to consider is that you can’t even look their numbers up since cell phone numbers aren’t listed. Do you have a backup plan for situations of this kind?
If you are this dependent on technology, you could take it one step further as well. You could have a backup of all your numbers and save them periodically. Although this means using technology even more intensely, it will ensure you that you will never lose all your numbers.
3. Breaking up without texting is horrifying
If you are thinking about breaking up with your boyfriend through text messages, you can be sure your technological dependence is through the roof. More and more people have serious conversations through texts, furthermore, some people actually get fired through texts. No matter how convenient messaging might be, remember that it can’t get your message through as clearly as face-to-face communication can. Miscommunication is very common in case of texts and people spend way too much time analyzing each other’s messages.
You can save yourself a lot of trouble if you just pick up the phone and talk to the other person or agree to meet them in person. Human dependence on technology is already high, why make the situation even more serious? You don’t have time for human interactions or you don’t want to have time?
4. Old fashioned stores are obsolete – people prefer shopping online
Is society too dependent on technology? The answer is yes’m because hundreds of stores are closing simply because they are losing their customers. People prefer to order online the products they use, even if they are the most basic ones. In our days you have the possibility to order groceries, furniture, clothes, gadgets, and everything else online, so there is no more need for the brick and mortar stores. What happened to people browsing through stores and trying clothes on?
You might say that ordering online is a lot more convenient and we can’t argue with that. But why are people so reluctant about leaving their homes? It is comfortable to just stay at home and do nothing, but do you know how bad it is for your health? People need exercise, need to move, and they also need to keep their mind sharp. You can’t have all these sitting in front of your computer all day.
5. You can't live without your phone – you can’t even imagine it
It is a known fact that some people simply feel naked without their phones. If you are asking do we depend on technology too much, the answer is a definite yes. There are some people who check their phones about 30-40 times per hour. Some people might be joking about this problem, but keep in mind that it is no joke. Although technology helps us in many different ways, it is also taking away a part of our lives. The studies conducted in the field suggest that using smartphones can have horrible consequences, such as car accidents. In the same time the use of technology leads to a poor balance of personal life and work life.
You may say that you need your phone and your tablet for work, but why are you using them in your personal life as well? You have a work schedule and when you leave the office, you should leave your work problems as well. Most probably your boss appreciates if you work from home as well, but you have to ask yourself: is it really worth it? Ruining your personal and family life for a pat on the back from your boss?
6. It divides us as society
For sure you have seen movies in which at a family dinner the boy is playing video games, the girl is texting, the father is reading mails on his tablet and the mother is trying her best to make family life work. As funny as it may seem, you should know that it is based on reality and technology dependency is real. It’s not only families that the problem affects. You may have seen people sitting at a cafe with their phones in front of them and texting instead of talking to the people around them.
You shouldn’t dismiss the possibility of technology and addiction. Chances are, on some level, you are also addicted to technology, you just don’t know it yet.
