How Technology Has Taken Over Our Brains By Controlling Us

​In times like these when, what seems like every month, a new gadget is coming out, we rely more and more on these things to get us through life. Some of these gadgets and the technology that comes with them have become such a huge part of our lives that we almost don't know what to do anymore without them. We depend on this technology to navigate us from one location to another or to even communicate with family and friends. Are these gadgets really helping us and making life easier or are they hindering our basic human ability to communicate effectively with each other and perform manual tasks that we rely on these machines or other technology to perform for us? In his essay, A Nation of Vidiots, Jeffery Sachs suggests that excessive

There have been many studies done on the negative psychological and sociological effects of technology while some may be true technology has its share of positive effects on society. The advances of technology have aided in the access to information from relatively anywhere. According to Hepburn (2013) “By the end of 2014, the number of Internet users was expected to be almost 3 billion, two-thirds of whom live in the developing world, and the number of mobile broadband subscriptions was expected to reach 2.3 billion globally” (as cited in Yáñez, Okada, & Palau2015, p.89). It has become easier to stay connected to family, friends, access personal information, and has improved educational opportunities. Technology is always evolving and changing for the better. “Mobile technologies and networks are increasingly expanding in their sophistication and capacity, and new applications (software programs) are enhancing the ways in which individuals interact” (Giota, 2014).

Over the years, technology has developed into something that we cannot live without. Society is constantly being dictated and reshaped by the newest technology. In Nicholas Carr’s article, “Is Google Making Us Stupid”, he expounded on the uncomfortable sense that someone, or something was tinkering with his brain. He realized that he’s not thinking the way he used to. Additionally, he explains how our brains aren’t familiar with critical thinking anymore. He also introduces the idea that the Internet is doing more harm to us than good. I believe Carr’s ideas on the negative effects of the Internet are well founded. The validity surrounds us daily.

Today’s society has an affinity for even fledgling technological advances. If you take a look around, almost everyone has the new iPhone or Galaxy cell phone. Each new, updated device supplants the last. The incessant use of internet is brought on by the fact that it changes how we complete almost every task.

“Technology is a negative influence on us because it separates individuals from reality” (Teen Ink, 2011, para. 2). Have you ever been out in public and realized you didn’t have any human interaction at all? That’s because technology makes that possible. Even getting groceries can be done self-checkout or ordered online. Reality is very far away with technology. The article said the “Internet of Things is well on its way to becoming the Internet of Us” (lynch,2016, p.1). Internet is literally detaching us from reality and soon will be our identity.

Have you had the internet all your life? Do you think you can live without the internet or even technology? Depending on how you answered those questions you might be more dependent on the internet than you think you are. The internet has become a very reliable resource that we human are use on a daily basis. We go to it every time we need to know particular information, or when we are research a topic, or even if you just want to know more about a specific topic.

In today's society there is no escape from technology. We are completely submerged in our iPhone, ipads, computers, and gaming systems. These gadgets give us the opportunity to be connected to each other and the rest of the world at all times. But, this is not a glorious step in history. Technology blinds us from the real world. As John Tudor said, “Technology makes it possible for people to gain control over everything, except technology.” We may run our lives with the help of our iPhones and computers, but do these forms of technology in turn control us? At first glance these new advances are greater steps to making our lives easier. But, when examined closely a large portion of technology is the cause of many problems in our society.

But these small advantages do not compare to the huge disadvantages put on people in our society everyday. Most people do not even realize they are addicted. Johnson asserts that technology “has crept up on people and radically changed behavior and expectations in ways few people could have predicted” (Johnson 585). At one point or another connectivity became a huge part of a huge chunk of our world today. Today’s society functions on connectivity and the fact that Madison can reach into her pocket and facetime her cousin in Cairns, Australia even though there are hours and miles between them, a conversation can be had as if the two were right next to each

Over this past decade or so, people all around the globe have been granted with greater advancements in technology. From cellphones we can talk to, to 3-Dimensional televisions, we are able to pretty much do anything thanks to these high-tech products. But, should we really be grateful for these easy-to-use devices, or are they taking over the lives of millions? In the articles written by Michael Malone and Daniel Burrus, we receive an inside look on whether todays modern, wired, Web world is, or is not, benefitting society. Although both authors held pretty neutral views on the subject itself, Malone’s support towards the negative effect of technology definitely lures readers into

All attributes that create a negative impact on our lives. Simone de Beauvoir argues that technics,” … itself is not objectively justified; if it sets up as absolute goals the saving of time and work which it enables us to realize and the comfort and luxury which it enables us to have access to, then it appears useless and absurd…”(79) In other words, since the internet can become an outlet of escaping reality, whether it be through online shopping, pornography, gambling, or virtual online gaming, it may potentially make people so comfortable to the point where it consumes a person’s whole life. In fact, recent studies have shown that the addiction of the internet is on the rise and it is causing personal, professional as well as social problems for many (Paradigmalibu), and considering the facts, this is defiantly an aspect of the internet de Beauvoir will disapprove of. Another thing about the internet, I believe de Beauvoir will find detrimental, is the fact that it is eroding our ability to think for ourselves. People rely so much on the internet for answers, for example, it is so easy to type up a mathematical equation in the search engine and find the solution or look up the answer to a difficult homework question instantly without thinking about it thoroughly. For de Beauvoir, existence “is only to be spent” (80), therefore,

In the 20th century, new innovations were popping up at every corner. More gadgets and appliances appeared every year, offering convenience and efficiency. Our culture embraced the electric lifestyle in all of its forms. Television gave people visual access to places and events that perhaps they would never have had the chance to see otherwise. Entertainment eventually became mobile. The common person could carry music, phones, and tiny computing devices in their pockets. Society was drawn as moths to a flame by the allure of global connectivity. And humanity has grown ever hungrier for a better, faster, more condensed version of every aspect of our lives, but at what cost? When critics attack things like the Internet for the dilution of our

In today’s modern world, technology reigns. Millions of people all over the globe utilize technology for a multitude of purposes every day, whether it be at work, school, or even from the leisure of their home. If you were to ask most people in America if they could live without technology even for a day, the answer would most likely be no. Contrary to opinions that are popular with my fellow millennials, I think that society is too dependent on technology. I believe society relies on technology too much because we use the internet for simple tasks that we should be capable of doing ourselves, our dependence has resulted in laziness, and technology is rapidly replacing people in the workplace, thus resulting in less jobs.

If you were to ask somebody what a computer was sixty years ago they would look at you look at you puzzled. Now days it is hard to find a household or office in America that does not contain at least one personal computer. With all of this information at our finger tips, we have to ask ourselves if we are becoming too dependent on technology. Imagine if we were to wake up tomorrow with all electronic devices disabled. Everybody’s life would be impacted in one way or another. We would lose what has become the largest portal for communication. We would also lose countless information that has

In the words of John Suler, a psychologist who specializes in how we use computers and online networks, "The Internet is the Wild, Wild West. The rules of the world don't apply.” (Porter, Jane. "Apps of hate?" Choices/Current Health, Mar. 2015, p. 12+. Opposing Viewpoints in context http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A402347857/OVIC?u=j064903&xid=f36940b5.). Many people may argue that technology and the internet have changed our lives for the better in ways, especially with the advanced equipment that we do have today. However, there are many negatives to using the internet such as teenagers and young children can encounter cyberbullying, children can access inappropriate websites or misuse resources, and

Virtual Learning continues to transform the educational system in the United States. For the past decade, virtual enrollments in higher educational institutions have surpassed traditional enrollments. According to the Babson Survey Research Group (2015), virtual enrollments in higher education boasted an overall increase of 3.7% between 2012 and 2013. As described in the Grade Level: Tracking Online Education in the United States report (Allen & Seaman, 2015) four year private and four year private non-profit institutions reflected high enrollment growth—7.2% and 12.7% respectively.