Technology Costs, Essay Example

I grew up in Cuba where technology is not as integral part of the society as it is in America. Growing up, technological products that were everyday part of the life of an American teenager were quite alien concepts to me. It is only after coming to America few years ago that I have been introduced to these technological products and needless to say, I cannot imagine a life without them anymore. There is no doubt there are certain benefits to a digital lifestyle but I have also realized these benefits come at great costs to my personal and work life.

I had an active social lifestyle which involved playing sports with friends almost every day and hanging out with them over the weekends. This also meant my social network would continue to expand by meeting new people. Not only meeting new people would expand my thinking horizon but it would also teach me valuable skills such as social skills and communication. I still engage in social interaction and communication but do not reap the benefits because now all these activities take place behind the screen and without any face-to-face interaction. I spend hours chatting with my friends and I may still have old friends but this process prevents me from making new friends and acquaintances. I am aware of the social costs this substitution of face-to-face interaction with digital interaction has been imposing on me but the addiction has been too strong to let go of.

Internet has been hailed as a revolutionary technology because it has put all the information at our fingertips. Information that would force me to spend time and efforts to find out now can be instantly found through Google. While speed of finding information is not a negative thing but this has given birth to various other undesirable habits. First of all, I have become too accustomed to convenience that I prefer summaries rather than detailed explanations that require greater amounts of time and efforts. This may also be why I have stopped reading books and instead started relying on short articles on the internet to meet my information needs. In addition, it has also negatively affected my writing skills. I now do most of the writing online such as in chatting and on social media. Most of my written communication online is informal which often includes spelling shortcuts for the sake of convenience and saving time as is the norm among social media users. I have noticed an increase in spelling mistakes in papers I submit as class assignments because my written communication style is increasingly being influenced by my online communication style.

Digital lifestyle has also affected my relationship with my family. They often complain I not only spend less time with them but even when I am with them, I don’t give them the attention they deserve which is rude. I sometimes try to defend myself that it is only their imagination but after careful reflection upon my action, I cannot help but admit their complaints are valid. I have realized I am still looking at my smart phone even when I am talking with them. Communication is not only about hearing what others are saying but also giving attention to them.

Technologies have helped improve our societies but as I have personally learnt, they may also impose huge costs without some people even realizing it. Thus, the key is to adopt responsible technology habits so that they do not negatively affect our social relationships and productivity. As always the first step is to acknowledge one has a problem so that measures could be taken to tackle it.