The Pros And Cons Of Modern Technology
Modern technology has offered us many advances in the realms of computing and science. While these advances have made life simpler in some ways, it can be argued that they have made life more complex and dangerous as well. A perfect example would be the automobile. The modern technology that allows us to drive has enabled us to travel at accelerated speeds and to traverse the globe. At the same time it must be noted that we are now slaves to the traffic light as our every move is often dictated by traffic in modern cities. While most citizens would not choose to be a Luddite and eschew modern technology, it must be considered that these advances have come with a price.
Personal freedom and privacy are two more areas that have suffered greatly due to modern technology. Each day we head out into the world we are photographed and video taped by any number of cameras used for security that is both private and public. In countries such as England and China it is estimated that each citizen is photographed without their knowledge or permission hundreds of times each and every day. While this has caused many to feel safer due to the threat of global terrorism, many others suffer with the knowledge that we are less free due to this level of surveillance.
Modern technology has allowed people to live longer but for many this comes with a decrease in the quality of life. There are those who argue that simply extending life for the sake of being able to do so, does little to add to the experience of each individual. In addition, it has enabled us to grow more food and feed more people by distributing this food around the globe. An unexpected result of this is more starvation due to increases in population that would not have increased without the additional food supply. Politics and wars disable the structures that deliver the food and many more people starve than would have without the extra food to begin with. This is another clear example of how modern technology has caused great suffering under the guise of being a helper.
The internet is another piece of modern technology that has effected life on every level. Items can be shopped for and selected without ever entering a brick and mortar store. This has changed the face of downtown America by causing shops to close as they find they cannot effectively compete with online competitors. While most would not choose to go back to the days before such online retail giants such as Amazon, the unintended consequences can be chilling. The closing of mom and pop style and independent book and record stores has an effect on the distribution and flow of information. While the level of information available has increased due to the internet, the quality of that information is often suspect. Online file sharing has caused many artists to seek different platforms on which to release material as a new generation of people seek to attain everything for free in digital formats. Modern technology is clearly both a blessing and a curse to the individual alive today.
