Technology – all that glitters is not gold!

As I sat on my bed, looking at the screen of my IPhone, I suddenly had a flashback of my childhood, when life was all about dolls, playing games with friends, interacting with family members; today, things are very different. As I look around me, I see my 6 year old niece dialing numbers on her mother’s cellphone, while her 2 year old brother sits beside her crying and wanting the cellphone, and I think to myself, technology has taken over the lives of children, and the youngsters.

Technology has advanced at a fast pace in the past ten years, and has contributed to the success of the economies of the first world countries. Countries like China and the USA have used technology for their betterment, by constantly indulging in new inventions, to make life easier, and their hold on the rest of the world, firmer. However, the effects of technology have not been all that positive. Technology has deprived the children of their childhood; ten years ago you’d find children playing in gardens, drawing on papers, and today, you find them playing games on the cellphones, drawing on the cellphones. Television has contributed in stealing the innocence from the children. The youth back then was more active, more creative, but technology has made the youth of today confined to themselves. Facebook, televisions, and cellphones seem to have engulfed the young generation in them. Life of a child, and of a teenager, is all about social media websites, and televisions. The concept of love and attachment is lost in the past.

One of the worst effects of technology on the youth is the impact of it on education. Although the creation of the web has aided in increasing the knowledge of children and the youth, but it has also contributed to the increase in plagiarism. Brainstorming, which was once the major component of learning and creating ideas, has been transformed into “searching on Google”.

Technology has not only contributed in depriving the young generation of the fun of life, but has also contributed in spreading evil in the world. It is the advancement of technology that has spread hatred among people, has led to the increase in killing, and the increase in differences between nations. From the invention of the nuclear power, atomic bombs, to cloning, all are contributing in the destruction of the natural phenomenon of life.

Technology has played its part in contributing to the damage of the ozone layer. It is undeniable, that technology has led to the increase in pollution, and the mismanagement by the people, has led to the destruction of nature.

Although the fast pacing technology has brought with itself many advancements in the medical world, but technology itself has contributed to many medical illnesses, especially in the youth. As mentioned earlier, technology confines youth to themselves. Sitting in front of the televisions, using social media websites, and constantly engaging in the use of cellphones, have all led to obesity due to lack of movements, and eye problems due to the excessive usage of the technological devices. (Read more about the harmful effects of technology on health)

To sum it up, technology has indeed made life easier, brought with itself many useful inventions such as the airplanes, cars etc, which have contributed to reducing the distances, and has made communication easier, but the cons of technology are such, that they can never be overlooked. Technology creates distances between loved ones, as the presence of Skype, Viber, Whatsapp, reduce the need of going and visiting each other in person. The world today, is not a better place, and technology and its usage can be blamed for it. It is in the hands of the capable, i.e. the human, to use technology for the betterment, and to make this world a better place. Maybe our misuse of technology can lead to robots ruling this world one day, with none of us in sight!

By: Zara Saeed