Despite the fact that many people use technology on a daily basis, they still wonder how does technology so regularly, it is sometimes difficult to look past the self and see how technology manifests in the broader scope. Furthermore, technology is constantly expanding and growing whether through new computer technology, faster methods of food preparation, and more fuel efficient cars. Therefore, the issue is extremely broad because so many components are involved. affect society. Since people use
Additionally, debate also exists over whether the effects of technology are positive or negative. The answer to that question is highly individualized because of varying perceptions of what is important and what is detrimental. Understanding the multiple effects of technology on society are key to determining how technology will continue to influence the world.
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At Home
Perhaps one of the most controversial settings for technology is in the home where multi-generational families spend a large amount of time living in the same place. For example, the internet
allows families to quickly book vacations, look up movie times, and read restaurant reviews in order to plan family outings and excursions. However, on the other hand, some parents complain that
television, video games, and social networking websites absorb all of their children's attention; therefore, not as much family time exists.
Other types of technology certainly make day-to-day living easier. Alarm systems protect against fires, burglars, and carbon monoxide. Crafty kitchen appliances allow families to create healthy and tasty meals more quickly than before. Cell phones allow parents to keep tabs on their children. On the other hand, parents also feel that some children become obsessed with cell phones. The popularity of frozen dinners and quick meals cuts family eating time in half, and some of the meal's nutritional values are sketchy.
School and Work
Another major concern about how does technology affect society is in terms of both
educational and career settings. Students spend the majority of the day learning, while many adults spend the majority of their day working. Furthermore, the technology present in both environments helps to create a growing economy, which is a major goal of any country, particularly one going through financial difficulties.
Many schools have begun to adopt the practice of Smart Boards, interactive chalk boards which allow teachers to show presentations, but also allow students to come up to the board and select answers to the questions or participate in other activities. Through webcams and
Internet connectivity, students connect with other students across the world to learn about their
language, culture, religion, and their daily lives.
At work, employees benefit from similar features. They can easily access other branches of their company in different parts of the world. Companies own and operate
Internet storefronts to market their items to clients in a multitude of countries. Cars, trains, subways, buses, and even airplanes ensure that people get to work in a timely fashion, and that they are able to get home in order to cook, shop, clean, or spend time with their families.
However, some students become distracted by the technology or their own cell phones, Blackberries, and so forth. Instead of enhancing learning, school becomes an environment purely for social interaction. Adults are not above such problems, and email features and chatboards create distractions at work. Furthermore, purchasing technological features for school and work is expensive, and less wealthy career fields and school districts are often left beyond.
The Environment
How technology affects the
environment is a huge area of debate, especially during a time when emissions from cars and industries are considered a major cause of the constantly expanding problem with
global warming. Powerful industrial plants release toxic chemicals into both the land and sea, and gas emissions from vehicles do the same. Forests are cleared in order to make more room for industrialization, and in doing so, plant and animal life are destroyed.
However, on the other hand, without technology, some of the global efforts towards cleaning up the
environment would not be possible. For example, organizations such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Earth System Governance Project have global impact because they can connect to members across the world through the
Internet. Furthermore, massive clean-up efforts, such as after
Hurricane Katrina, would not be possible without modern technologies such as buses to go and rescue people.
