Has Technology Turned Against Us?

We may need to look within ourselves to find the answer.

It’s increasingly becoming hard to separate modern life from technology. From shopping, learning, and entertainment to socializing and even managing our finances, technology has become an essential part of how we go about our daily activities.

It has, no doubt, had a seismic effect on humankind. But it has also drawn its fair share of critics. Some worry about automation making employees redundant. Others worry about an AI-powered future where robots take over the planet.

While this may seem a little far-fetched from where we stand right now, the profound influence technology has had on our behavior certainly cannot be overlooked.

1. Increased complexities

Today, for almost everything we want to do in life, there’s an app for it. Think about it for a moment. Our app-driven lives have become incredibly simple in ways unimaginable. We no longer need to wait by the street to hail a cab, go to the local supermarket to pick up our weekly groceries, or even count on cupid to find our life partner.

But while enjoying the many simplifying effects of technology, we have also complicated our lives at a remarkable pace with its help. A Harris Poll study shows that an average American has 27 accounts with passwords. And if that isn’t enough, there are 36 apps, on average, in a smartphone, most of which are hardly used.

And many people juggle multiple devices, from laptops and smartphones to tabs and other digital paraphernalia. Then there’s the need to keep up with constantly improving technology (mostly driven by our innate FOMO), and protecting ourselves from the ever-escalating security threats. And a simple glitch in our devices could leave us immobile and unable to function, or at least that’s what it would feel like.

And the simpler our daily tasks become, the more we seem to take on to our plate. Many are struggling with work overload, at both the office and home.

So, despite all the simplifying benefits technology has awarded us, we still seem to have uprooted ourselves from the “simple”, laid-back lives led by our older generations.

2. Disconnected and distanced

Today, over 5.11 billion people are using a mobile phone. According to Emarsys, 3.5 billion of us are using social media, spending on average 3 hours a day. And having a large follower base has now become a status symbol, although a majority remain total strangers.

We’re also hooked to multiple communication tools, from Viber and WhatsApp to Zoom and Skype. They have made it easier to reach our loved ones and keep in touch with those who are geographically distant.

But all these have also distanced us from those who are nearest. One study shows that parents are spending only 24 minutes more with their kids on an average day compared to the time they spend with their phones. And more than 1 in 3 people are using technology in bed at night. This rises to 38% when it comes to mealtimes at home.

Instead of having conversations, more people are pulling out their phones when they’re bored. And many are leading virtual lives, completely disconnected and alienated from real-world interactions.

3. Losing efficiency

There’s no question about how efficient we’ve become thanks to our technological tools. At home, searching for the nearest restaurant is just one click away. It’s only a question away if we have a voice-enabled assistant like Alexa or Google Home.

And at work, AI technologies are removing repetitive tasks so we can focus more on value-adding ones. They’re also providing us with advanced tools to make our work smoother, faster, and more accurate.

But at the same time, technology is making us less efficient. Take, for example, our addiction to social media and phones. According to Asurion, the average American checks their phone at least 96 times a day. That’s around once every 10 minutes during their waking hours. A staggering 73% claim that technology has become too much of a distraction. Gaming and social media could be particularly addictive and may severely disrupt our ability to focus on productive tasks in the office and at home.

We’re also becoming lazy because of technology, says 7 in 10 Americans. For instance, we’re falling behind on certain skills. A Harris Poll confirms technology’s negative effect on important aspects like interpersonal communication and literacy. We’ve also become lazy to exercise our ability to think critically and solve problems.

Meanwhile, excessive screen time is affecting our sleep quality and placing us at risk of chronic mental and physical health complications. In the long term, all these could leave us far less efficient than we originally set out to be with the help of technology.

4. Increased dependence

Our ability to work and live independently has significantly increased with the adoption of technology. For instance, today, we’re able to work remotely from anywhere we like. This has given rise to a booming gig economy. Technology is even helping small business owners to access markets without costly intermediaries. It’s also improving the quality of life of a fast-aging population, enabling them to lead independent lives.

But the more we integrate technology into our lives, the more we’ve grown to depend on it. We’re counting on our devices to correct our spelling and grammar and relying on Google Maps to navigate us through the streets. We even depend on algorithms to tell us what we would like to purchase next.

Today, we’re unable to step out without our mobile phones. A low battery is enough to instill fear and exasperation in us. Yet, our grandparents have survived world wars without personal digital devices. They counted on memory, instinct, and wisdom to guide them through life. Without these, our over-reliance on technology might threaten our very survival in the future.

So, is technology a friend or foe?

The dramatic changes technology has brought upon our lives are undeniable. It has made us both efficient and inefficient, independent and dependent, safe and vulnerable, and strong and weak.

The bottom line is, technology is a tool. It’s only meant to supplement our lives with some added support. Whether it becomes a friend or foe lies entirely in our hands. There are choices and trade-offs along the way that we need to make with caution. And there are priorities we should never lose sight of if we want technology to become our friend.