3. How is Technology destroying
our Minds, Bodies, and
Communities?
Technology is everywhere. As a younger individual of
nineteen years, throughout high school, college, and simply out
in public, technology is impossible to escape. In school,
walking around the halls is full of other students aimlessly
walking with their phones in front of their faces, teachers yelling
at students constantly to put there phones away and pay
attention. Even at lunch, when it’s a time to stop the schoolwork
and socialize with your friends, students take this opportunity to
use technology once again. In college, you see more people
who care about school, but there is still an evident need for
technology. In society in general as well, you see adults texting
or being on their cell phones while driving, or during meetings.
Technology is everywhere and is taking over the need for hard
work and social interactions.
4. Technology is destroying our minds, bodies, and
communities. It is definitely useful and has been
beneficial in relation to medical advancements,
discoveries and much more. However, the amount we
use and rely on technology is the problem. Some
negative ways that technology is affecting our minds,
bodies, and communities are; It is affecting our eyesight,
its seriously addicting, its being used as a babysitter, and
it is becoming a necessity.
Technology today is used to teach or occupy
children, which is not healthy. Exposing children to
technology as a form of distraction as “58 percent of
admit” doing so (Bustle). Children grow up too fast and
can become addicted to technology if they are exposed to
early. Healthy access and supervision at a young age
would help immensly.
Eyesight – In society today, screens are everything.
Phones, computers, televisions… Technology is
everywhere. The visions council conducted a report in
2013 showing, “nearly 70% of US adults experience
6. How will technology continue to
affect society if nothing
changes?
• Technology will come before jobs and in time, will start
eliminating some jobs all together. This will result in
mass unemployment.
• There may be an increase in obesity and diseases
related to being immobile, being able to order food
from the seat of your couch, and not getting outside to
get fresh air. One’s health depends on a healthy
lifestyle and with technology, this lifestyle is harder to
maintain. If technology continues like this, the issues
will worsen.
• Technology will replace the need for human interaction.
With the advancements being made in technology, the
amount of time people spend in front of a screen is
vastly greater than the amount of time people spend
face to face. This can only get worse if technology
7. Is your job being affected?
With how far technology has come and the advancements
being made, some jobs are being replaced by intelligent technology or
are in serious jeopardy.
It is seen through studies that growing jobs are those in which
advancements in technology are being researched, as well as service
jobs that will always be needed. This includes; health care workers,
lawyers, social workers, etc…
Vulnerable Jobs
• Butchers
• Payroll Clerks
• Bank Tellers
• Cashiers
• Typists
• Pharmacists
• Book keepers
• Secretaries
8. Facts about technology and how
it affects individuals
• Studies show that 63% of Americans log on to Facebook daily, and 40%
log on multiple times each day.
• Two-thirds of people admit to having difficultly relaxing when unable
to use their social media accounts.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics
now suggest our kids limit screen time
to a maximum of two hours a day apart
from homework.
• If Facebook were a country, it would be
the third largest after China
• It is thought that video games spark
violent and aggressive behaviour
9. Statements about Technology
“I fear the day that
technology will surpass
our human interaction.
The world will have a
generation of idiots”.
Albert Einstein
Technology is nothing, what’s important is that you have faith in
people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give
them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them.
Steve Jobs
Carl Sagan
We live in a society
exquisitely dependant on
science and technology,
in which hardly anyone
knows anything about
science and technology.
10. Symbolic Interactionalism
Theory
What is this theory?
The symbolic interactionalism theory relates to the
interaction between individuals and the affect that has on them. For
example; an individual attending school learns behaviours from
their teachers and classmates.
How does it apply?
The symbolic Interactionalism theory relates to technology
and how it is destroying our minds, bodies, and communities as the
issue with technology is the amount it is being relied upon. Through
interactions and learned behaviour, children as well as adults, are
subjected to walking and texting at the same time, texting or calling
while driving, socializing through devices, etc… This subjection
teaches individuals that this behaviour is accepted which does not
help the issue of technology.
11. Conflict Theory
What is this theory?
The Marxist based conflict theory, specifically the social
conflict theory, relates to the different powers within society and the
effect it has on others. For example; the rich and the poor. The rich
makes decisions for the rich, which can negatively affect those in a
lower class.
How does it apply?
The social conflict theory relates to technology and how it is
destroying out minds, bodies, and communities because,
advancements in technology help those who are already wealthy. For
the other individuals who have less or significantly less income,
technology is taking over their jobs and ability to provide for their
families
12. Technology vs the human
body
Technology is a powerful element within society that affects
individuals in both physical and psychological ways. These are
some examples;
• Sleep – The use of technology, especially at night can
seriously affect one’s sleeping patterns. There is a potential
for sleep disorders which can be harmful to one’s body.
• Depression – There have been multiple studies that have
shown that individuals with the need to have technology
available at all times or who have an unhealthy attachment
may show signs of depression or a depressive disorder.
• Addiction – Technology is seen as a form of addiction in
some cases. Studies have shown that over time, one’s brain
starts to develop a certain pattern of change. Also, Because
of the amount of times individuals go to check technological
gadgets, it can be seen as a form of addiction.
13. • Anxiety – Technology is becoming a driving force for anxiety
and other psychological disorders. Aside from the anxiety of
being detached or unable to be around your cell phone for
example, studies have shown that individuals have anxiety
about what they look up. Women in particular are known to
have anxiety if they don’t “Instagram enough” or post the
“cutest” picture.
• Insecurity – Technology gives anyone the ability to constantly
check in on others lives. Having social media sites,
magazines, etc... Allows individuals to follow what people are
doing throughout the entire day. Focusing so much on other
people makes you insecure or uncomfortable with yourself. If
technology were less of a priority, people would be able to
spend more time focusing on themselves as opposed to
other people.
• Isolation – Technology keeps people isolated. You could be in
a large group of friends, with no conversation or interaction.
This is because individuals now a days are so caught up in
technology that there is a need to constantly check your
phones and seeing what others are doing. Technology is
isolating people from the potential of forming stronger
14. How can we solve this issue?
Technology is such a large part of society and how the world
works that coming up with a proper solution would be very difficult.
The amount that individuals use and rely on technology is the real
issue, rather than the technology itself. We have become so
dependent on it that it seems like the end of the world thinking of a
world without technology. Overall, the solution is simple. We need to
realize that technology is a secondary source of interaction,
communication, and learning tool. Individuals need to be retaught
the value in human interaction and going outside in the fresh air. The
reason technology is destroying our minds and bodies is because the
world have in a way become one in which you sit at school or work,
and come home just to sit down and use some sort of technology,
whether that be the television, computer, or cell phone. Another
solution would be to reconfigure the school system. Instead of sitting
in a classroom the majority of the day, take the kids outside, do
interactive learning, anything that will get them up and moving.
Teaching individuals at a young age about the value in relationships
and health is the simplest solution to this growing problem of
technology.