The Technological Revolution: How Technology Has Changed The World

Since the creation of the world, humans have invented new ways of performing tasks and bettering life. Just as the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions drastically changed the world, a new era has arrived—The Technological Revolution. Through the creation of the internet and devices such as the GPS and smart phone, technology has blossomed our country into a high-functioning and efficient society. However, with technology so readily available, humans often abuse its luxury. For example, many people’s lives revolve around their wireless gadgets. Although technology has significantly improved our society, it continues to invade lives and strip humans of the ability to function normally without it. While technology remains an important and

essential part of life, individuals should learn to cut down on their reliance on electronic devices.
Cell phones benefit society greatly; nevertheless, its constant use causes society to become overly dependent on its technology. Comedian Louis C. K. accurately describes this problem in a video that later went viral. On the topic of using cell phones and driving, he states, “People are willing to risk taking a life and ruining their own because they don’t want to be alone for a second.” In fact, according to the 2013 Mobile Consumer Habits study, fifty-five percent of people used their devices while driving and twelve percent admitted to using their smart phones in the shower. People become so attached to their cell phones that they interrupted quiet time and even endagered lives to check messages. Some users even felt separation anxiety whenever they did not have their phone in close proximity to them. Moreover, a study conducted by author Russell Clayton found that people often felt dumber and could not solve simple word problems when he took individual’s iPhones away from them. As cell phones remain an important device in society, it should not become so vital that people feel stranded without it.
Society also depends on navigational systems such as the GPS.

With the creation of the Global Positioning System, people no longer have to read maps or rely on memory to travel places. Instead, they simply type in an address and expect to arrrive at their destination. However, this reliance on navigation systems often impact people negatively. McGill University researchers conducted a series of three studies which magnify the effects GPS systems have on the human brain and found that avid GPS users suffered from greater problems with memory and spatial orientation. Additionally, by relying so much on navigation systems, people risk ending up in problamatic situations. For example, while vacationing in Boston, a man listened to his GPS without physically scanning the streets. Instead of arriving at his destination, he wound up stuck on a set of railroad tracks in Webster after the GPS told him to turn down a snow covered street. After hearing a train coming down the tracks, he got out and waved his arms to try to signal the train, but the train crashed into the car. This story demonstrates the dangers of relying completely on techonology, as it does not always fuction accurately. People can use gadgets to increase quality of life, but should never wholly rely on any

device.
Finally, people rely too greatly on the internet. Today, students all around the world benefit from using the internet for research. Nevertheless, with information so readily availabe, people often face many unprecedented drawbacks. For instance, with foreign language homework, students often become lazy for technology allows them to easily revert to translators, finishing in half the time, with half the effort, and none of the knowledge. Additonally, instead of attaining true knowledge, teens can simply copy and paste information off of the information and receive a good grade. Carol Baker, president of the Illinois Science Teachers Association said, "Today, kids are used to obtaining any kind of information they want (online)….I think kids don't have the same sense of, 'Gee, it's wrong to take something that somebody else wrote.' The Internet encourages all of us to do that.” Eric Anderman, a professor of educational psychology at Ohio State University, has studied student cheating in many high schools. He states, “…the best estimate is that up to eighty-five percent of high school students have cheated at least once.” While copying off answers from a peer’s homework, or stealing the teacher’s answers clearly exemplify cheating, the internet makes cheating so much more subtle and easier to hide. Furthermore, the internet consumes lives. According to a study by Ofcom’s Media Use and Attitudes 2015 report, young people aged between sixteen and eighteen spend more than twenty-seven hours a week on the internet. Teens often prefer to spend time on the internet than spend time with family and if the internet suddenly shuts down, many people wander cluelessly around, unsure how to go about their day. Because society depends so much on the internet, this addiction will keep growing until the addiction itself controls people’s functionality.
In conclusion, technology has become a crutch for humanity. Whether in the form of overdependence or overuse, it causes humans to downplay their intelligence. With the creation of the internet, individuals often rely on other’s knowledge instead of aiming to attain it themselves. Likewise, with the GPS, people allow technology to do all the work. People also become so reliant on cell phones that they cannot operate normally without it. Nevertheless, instead of stopping use of all technology, humans should strive to solely use it beneficially. For instance, instead of using the internet as the easy way out, use it to gain knowledge. After all, the world lies at the push of a button.