The Pros and Cons of Technology

The Pros and Cons of Technology

As far back as I can remember my family and I have taken advantage of technology. The types of technology have changed over the years, along with our usage and dependence on it. Technology is a fundamental part of our lifestyle, including both work and play. What is interesting is that we also have many friends who use very little technology in their day-to-day living. This drastic difference makes one wonder how necessary the technology really is, and whether or not our dependence on it is healthy in the long run. It is really easy to just get caught up in using technology without thinking about the pros and cons.

I was born in the 80’s, so technology as, I know it, was beginning to take aim at the mainstream United States and the world. I grew up in an era of change, whether or not this change is good is yet to be determined. When I talk about technology I am making reference to computers, automation, and most “new age” technology. My first exposure to computers was at my dad’s lab at the University of Michigan Dearborn. The computer was ancient by today’s standards, but at the time it was a marvel of technological triumph. When I was five we bought a home personal computer (pc) for my mother to write papers and utilize the Internet. I became increasingly fascinated with the possibilities the computer brought be and I was hooked. In school we had little Apple 2Es that only worked when they wanted to but we still used them every day.

My mother had a large influence on my relationship with technology. First of all, she felt strongly enough to ban video games and most television shows the first ten years of my life. I started to test educational software for children when I was five because my...

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...r, not batteries, because we were out in the woods for weeks on end. I settled on a small solar panel that could accommodate the digital device. The problem was that it didn’t work reliably, so just the use of the camera alone ate up my time that could have been better spent. Progress? I think not.

Now, as I bash technology for some of its downfalls, I am still reminded about its benefits for medicine, and transportation. Isn’t that kind of progress beneficial for our civilization? Again the answer is, well, yes and no. Sure, we can get from point A to point B faster, but we pollute the environment and rely heavily on nonrenewable resources, which we can’t afford in the long run. I foresee my generation having to confront this. I see myself using new technologies, but, like Gomez-Pena, continuing to maintain balance, and staying grounded in a less “virtual” world.