Okay, admit it. Have you ever felt like dying when your wifi was not working?  Honestly...we all have. Imagine this, when you walk into a crowded restaurant and you scan around the rowdy environment, what do you notice? Do you see families sitting together, with the young teenagers using their cell phones and the little three year olds holding an ipad in their hands, watching the screen intently? This is what our world has come to, a world where our lives revolve around these devices. Technology distracts us from reality, causing one to constantly live in a fantasy world filled with Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, videogames, and much more. On the contrary, technology has generated a world of development, creativity, and innovations. There are two sides of technology just as Carrie Snow stated, “Technology...is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other.” Similarly there is also the idiom, “a double-edged sword” which is a great metaphor for describing the positive and negative aspects of technology. There is the advantages of rapid social communication but also the disadvantage of the lack of physical communication. So the question then is, does technology benefit or harm us?
In this contemporary period, technology plays a crucial role in academics, businesses, and entertainment purposes. Schools spend a colossal amount of money in computers/laptops in hopes of motivating students to work harder. Some schools even provide individual ipads for students to take home and utilize for homework purposes. Teachers also ask students to learn by watching videos on Youtube or by researching articles online. Even Bill Gates, the pillar of technology viewed it as “just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important.” Technology should be used as the basis of education but it should not become the priority in teaching students. In the 21st century we notice kids crying and throwing a tantrum to use an ipad at restaurants, teenagers with their head constantly staring at their iphones, or even people driving while texting. Technology causes one to dissociate themselves from society and focus solely on their hand-held device. A research done by Cohen Children’s Medical Center discovered that there are about “3,000 annual teen deaths nationwide from texting and 300,000 injuries” (Ricks). Technology accounts for many injuries and fatal deaths as it creates a distraction. Now then, if we know the harms technology can cause, how exactly does technology affect our brain? According to “Psychology Today,” our brain is constantly modified to adapt to the current society. For example, our attention span is “highly malleable...and [is] most directly influenced by the environment” (Taylor), proving that technology causes the brain to change in order to adapt to the environment. So how then, is the environment we live in? In this current time period, society is constantly surrounded by media, mobile phones, and google. With google, one can search up an infinite amount of answers that require no reasoning or logic. Because our society is adapted to use google for all source of information, our brain’s ability to solve problems decrease. Lacking in intellectual abilities causes us to be unable to perform as well on test because students do not fully understand the lesson. When we do not know the answer to a complex math problem, rather than trying to solve it, many of us go straight to the internet as it saves time. But the consequences of such action may be the lack of truly understanding the concept leading us to fail the test.

Another consequence from technology is the social isolation it establishes. Although one may argue that technically, they are interacting with their friends via texting, honestly speaking, the physical interaction is absent. Even when couples are out on dates, many of them are still using their cell phones even if they are sitting across from each other. The only issue is not this social disconnection, but the lack of respect it provides for others. Many times, in a classroom setting, although the teachers are at the front of the room lecturing, students are still on their phones texting, playing video games, or simply listening to music. The lack of respect may ultimately lead to the lack of responsibility in future careers. And to be honest, I am also guilty of such disrespect. As these habits develop at a young age, it may continue on to our future careers which will not only give off a negative impression, but it may ultimately cause people to view us as untrustworthy.

Contrasting the idea that technology causes decrease in attention, reasoning, and social interaction, technology also assists in an increase with reflex and the “ability to scan information rapidly and efficiently” (Taylor). For example, video games help one “increase attentional ability, reaction times, and the capacity to identify details among clusters” (Taylor). Although technology may result in a decrease in concentration, it helps one have better impulses and instincts. In current times, one crucial principle is the importance of individuality and uniqueness. Just decades ago, the media portrayed thin, caucasian women working in kitchens and having the responsibility of being a stay-at-home mom. But now, these stereotypes are broken as 57% of women work according to the United States Department of Labor. This increase of women in the workforce is mainly caused by mass media influence. Although media may also portray slim models and its beauty, more and more celebrities are stressing the attractiveness of having a “curvy body.” The use of technology in a classroom setting also contributes to the students overall learning experience as they are taught at a more global scale. Technology also allows one to interact with someone on the opposite side of the planet. If your best friend moved away to another country, technology such as skype, face-time, or simply messaging helps us maintain the relationship despite the physical separation. But honestly speaking, the greatest benefit is...SAVING PAPER! Although the reasoning may be shallow, it is accurate that computers help save trees and decrease school spending. According to the “New York Times,” American businesses use annually 775 billion pages of paper. By utilizing computers, not only do we decrease the amount of paper used, but we also lower the spending cost.

Technology is a crucial utility for schools, businesses, and for home purposes. It boosts one’s self esteem and self confidence allowing them to fully love and accept themselves. As long as we learn to effectively utilize technology as a tool for our own benefit and for others benefit, then technology will ultimately create positive outcomes. Just like what Deepak Chopra believes, “Technology can be used to our benefit and should be used to our benefit.”