Just as the American professor of biochemistry Isaac Asimov once said: “I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them”, it seems that technology “has taken over” our lives. We live in a world that is definitely overrun by the internet. Technological devices have transcended their typical uses.
Over the last few decades, technology has profoundly changed almost every single aspect of our life. It has aided us with many conveniences and created new opportunities; nevertheless, there is evidence to believe that the use of technology is being presented with some prospective ramifications and unfortunate consequences for us and our children. The excessive use of technology may lead to some dangerous health problems.
According to research, committed tech-users who spend a massive amount of time with their computers are more likely to suffer from blurred vision, sore eyes, headaches, neck and shoulder pain. Furthermore, prolonged use of smartphones and laptops has been found to cause psychological problems such as paranoia, violence, social isolation and loneliness. Correspondingly, children who play computer and video games are more likely to suffer from long-term depression and anxiety. Unless there is committed parental involvement and continuous administrative surveillance, some children are more likely to fail their studies and display aggressive behaviors and violence.
The overuse of some technological devices may negatively affect the user’s social skills, especially if they are children. This involves showing good manners and acting politely, making friendships, assuming responsibilities for social actions and displaying empathy for other people. A person who uses a mobile phone for several hours a day becomes socially isolated; as a result, they may fail to develop effective conversational and communicative skills. Additionally, the use of smartphones has affected students’ writing skills dramatically. In other words, some students may fail to develop effective writing skills due to the lack of paper-pen opportunities for practicing writing. As everyone knows, many devices are equipped with automated keyboards and auto-correction systems. When students write, the machine does almost everything such as word recognition and orthography, so students fail to grasp the actual forms and eventually make many spelling mistakes whenever they are asked to write either in exams or classroom tests.
Active users of social media platforms who spend more than 4 hours a day are said to be addicted. Several studies have continually shown that when people are actively using social media or playing games on their phones, their brains release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is released when we experience pleasure. It is exactly the same chemical our brains produce during sexual intercourse or using certain types of drugs. This, as a consequence, hampers certain executive functions in our brains such as the ability to plan our daily routine, manage time, act in certain situations, control emotions…etc.
By and large, it seems that technology has a remarkable effect in our lives, and it is our decision that determines the nature of the effect, so let us use it for whatever can help us inspire others and build a prosperous and safe community.
