The Underlying Dangers of Technology

With the way that technology has spread itself throughout the world, how we communicate with one another has been revolutionized in a way that it never had before. People The way that our language has grown and changed as people from all over the world speaking countless different languages communicate with each other. Internet culture itself has single-handedly created a new type of literacy. Unfortunately, the high availability of technology does come with its drawbacks as well. It has come to the point where it seems to be a necessity, despite accessibility not being universal, the power it gives to a single person is dangerous, and it can also lead to a disconnect with reality.

Wireless connections have revolutionized our society, connecting the world.

With fiber optic cables spanning across oceans, all of a sudden people from across the world are capable of communicating within the blink of an eye. The massive amount of resources annually being dumped into the tech industry in order to continue to improve the speed and reach of our wireless connections is quite impressive, and most definitely justified. Technology has fundamentally changed our lives, and its importance in keeping people connected throughout the most recent COVID-19 pandemic shows just how important this connection can be. But with technology becoming increasingly important, can it now be seen as an essential need?

Despite the commonality of the chords and routers shown in the image, there are still many people without access to a consistent wireless connection. Anyone without consistent access to technology and a reliable wifi connection today seems to be at a significant disadvantage, being disconnected from educational resources as well as having a more difficult experience networking for jobs. In addition, technology’s growing presence within the workforce of all fields gives an inherent advantage to those with strong technological literacy. Are we at the stage in our society where technology has become an essential need? Could it be possible that we are relying too heavily upon it, and putting anyone without access or a high level of technological literacy at an inherent disadvantage?

Are our devices safe? Anyone who is capable of gaining access to them can get into our personal files and information, and possibly even use those passwords to steal or speak in our name.

Our growing reliance on technology appears increasingly dangerous as we begin to take a look at the power that we have given the tech industry over our lives. Our search engines and social media feeds as well as the advertisements played in our faces nonstop daily play an incredibly large role in what decisions we make, and yet they are controlled by faceless coders and giant corporations. How can we ensure that by allowing these corporations to control such an important factor of our lives, we are not allowing them to influence the decisions we make in a negative fashion? How much power are we placing in the hands of people who are capable of keeping complete anonymity while affecting us so directly?

This danger is most evidently present as a result of hackers. With the growing power of technology, the amount of power that can be wielded by a single person has grown exponentially- power that can most definitely be seized by any person with bad intentions who has found an exploit within the software that we use daily. No matter how much we emphasize and prioritize security, all it takes is a single mistake to be found by some dishonorable person, and suddenly millions of people can be easily taken advantage of as a result of such a heavy reliance on a single bit of software. Are the benefits of technology stronger than the inherent risks that it brings by giving so much power to any single entity? Can we be sure that our computers are locked down?

Social media has changed culture as we know it into something that shifts and changes daily. Its effect on the world is high, something that is growing increasingly apparent in the era of COVID-19.

Social media is a powerful tool that can be used to do a lot of good. It informs people, and even creates jobs for just about anyone with a camera and something to edit with. It also allows our culture to be increasingly inclusive and gives us the opportunity to remain connected with people that we meet throughout our lives. Unfortunately, the qualities that make social media such a good thing also make it quite dangerous. Just as it can be used to inform, it can be used to misinform and bury vital information in speculation.

All of the people using it daily also begs the question: Is social media helping us to better use our time, or is it more often used as a distraction from reality? For every successful content creator, there are hundreds of people who pour countless hours into following that dream, just to end up wasting it. In addition, how helpful are these content creators to society? Outside of the occasional fundraiser, it can be argued that their only practical importance is in the brief escape from reality they can provide their viewers. Yet there are many who get sucked into social media, spending excessive amounts of time indulging themselves with it. Is it truly valuable enough to be making these people rich, and take up so much of our time as a society?

Despite the many benefits that come to society as a result of technology, it can be equally dangerous. By getting so focused upon this new form of literacy that comes as a result of technology, we risk minimizing the danger that it poses to our daily lives. By making sure to always remain wary of this massive change, we can make sure to minimize its negative effects.