How Is Modern Technology Affecting Human Development?
Whether it is the matter of extending the life expectancy, disease diagnosis, or shaping of the tools and other essentials we use in day to day life, it is nearly impossible to think of any breakthrough in human development that doesn’t have a technological novelty behind it.
The technology has grown at an amazing rate in recent decades. High-speed internet, smartphones, AI, cloud computing, and many other technological inventions have totally changed every aspect of human life. Modern technology has affected almost all walks of life including business, agriculture, communication, traveling, and even, fundraising. In simple words, the potential of what we can do for human development has greatly affected and is greater than ever before.
Let’s dig deeper to have a look at how modern technology is affecting human development.
Attention
Short attention spans are one of the results of the continuous use of mobile technology and the internet. Attention span has diminished and now at 4 seconds, dropped from 8 to 12 seconds. Significant increase in distractions created by digital notifications and reminders is one of the main reasons for reduced attention spans. All of us have smartphones in our pockets. They allow us to communicate effectively, play games, and even complete some business-related tasks whenever and wherever we want. We are tolerating boredom along with a variety of benefits and accessibilities offered by the advanced mobile technology. We are mesmerized by the mobile devices, that’s why we don’t miss any important talk of information. There is nothing wrong to say that reduced attention spans come with consequences.
Decision-Making
In this modern world, we are more likely to turn our internet-connected mobile devices when it comes to making a decision. Whether we want to find out the best restaurant in the town for dinner or select a profitable career path, Google is our best companion that helps us make the right decisions. It shows that we as humans, no longer have to depend on emotional instinct. Instead, we go to the web and collect more information, details, and facts with an intention to make wise decisions. The latest technology provides us with ample information, data, and facts that can be used to make informed decisions, in every walk of life.
Building Relationship
According to Statista, 3.81 billion people are on social media. The increased number of people using P2P messages (sent via traditional SMS sending methods and social media apps) has drastically changed the way we build relationships. Social media has connected almost 50% of the entire global population. It helps people raise their voices and make their voices heard by billions of people using social media platforms. We can also interact with friends, family members, and business-related people across the globe even in real-time.
But is social media good or bad?
Imagine yourself at the dining table eating dinner with your family and sending tweets or texting your overseas friend. Are you entirely affianced in any of those relationships?
According to research, almost 70% of Americans think that mobile technology is good for building relationships. But it should also be considered that if kids growing up with smartphones are developing interpersonal and relationship building skills, they need to build strong and emotional relationships. Excessive use of mobile technology and social media can also make humans isolated and uncomfortable with personal and close contact.
Memory
The Internet is known as the most effective way to access the required information and data in real-time. Moreover, we can make and store shopping lists, to-do lists, and reminders in our smartphones so we can access the information we need later on. Universal and quick access to the information has completely changed both, what we remember and how we remember. In this modern world, we are more likely to remember the folder that contains information instead of the information itself. Similarly, we remember the keywords and search terms that can help us find the solutions and uncover answers instead of remembering the facts that are useful even if there is no internet connection.
Final Thoughts
Technology is out there to help us in many ways. It helps us learn effectively, communicate faster, and get smarter in ways we do things. At the same time, it could also be a bad thing for us to waste time on useless activities and numb ourselves to all the emotions we should take good care of. That’s why, we should use mobile technology and other gadgets whenever needed, to prevent side effects come with it.
