Discursive Technology PDF

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Technology: aid or ailment.An in-depth analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of technologyAs a teen in the 21st century my phone is pretty much glued to me. I knew its cliché, sue me. Before the advent of modern-day technology, l life was burdensome and everyday chores consumed too much of ou...

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Technology: aid or ailment. An in-depth analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of technology As a teen in the 21st century my phone is pretty much glued to me. I knew its cliché, sue me. Before the advent of modern-day technology, l life was burdensome and everyday chores consumed too much of our time. Immense opportunities are being provided by technology which play an important role in our daily lives. However, its usefulness is addictive and our dependence has increased drastically. Now we are lazier. Staring at a screen for 9 hours is common, going to the library for a book is absurd and navigation is impossible without a screen. We are becoming more and more robotic. In recent years privacy has been made a huge issue due to the profit from selling and the notoriety from breaking a story first. A prime example of this is the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant in February of 2020. His passing had been directly pushed via TMZ before asking for permission from Bryant’s family to publish the article. This then led to the Bryant family finding out about the loss of a dearly beloved through social media. Imagine finding out about the death of a loved one with the rest of the world. In addition, due to the speed at which the news was broken, false reports were brought up. One of which detailed that another NBA legend Rick Fox had also passed in the helicopter crash. However, Fox was not even in the country at the time of Bryant’s passing. This highlights the disregard of privacy and truth in the race to be the first to crack a story. Speaking of social media, the manufactured crave for social acceptance via likes and shares has turned us into addicts searching for our dose of dopamine. From experiencing a concert through a phone to performing deadly stunts for likes, our need for sharing has ruined our individual experiences. A study by the University of Oxford highlights a strong correlation between higher social media usage to poorer mental health, introducing severe issues such as low self-esteem and depression. Low self-esteem especially plays an important role into the lives on young and impressionable children. Now children, (especially girls) look up to models as the ideal body that is presented on social media and chase for this as they grow. This can cause several issues regarding weight shaming and low self-esteem. This is further catalyzed by celebrities supporting weight loss methods that may incur physical damage. This is made apparent in Kim Kardashian’s sponsorship with Soylent that operates as an appetite suppressant that has shown to hinder bodily functions and, in some cases, cause anorexia. Products such as this can lead to drastic health concerns especially on young and impressionable children. However, technology also comes with substantial benefits. The development of electric energy to minimise carbon emissions. The introduction of newer ways for advertising. The increased number of available jobs due to online mediums. The developments in medical research to combat diseases such as measles and COVID-19. The…. I think you get the point. Another aspect of technology is its positive influence on learning. It has made learning more interactive and collaborative. In addition, technology introduces a vast array of sources of information. With the creation of the internet, it gives us access to information 24/7 FOR FREE (I’m not including cost of internet). In addition, it allows students to get work done easier through quizzes and online classes. Online classes have been quintessential during the COVID-19 pandemic as the closing of schools forced the adaption of online schooling. As a student in Year 12, online schooling had been a saving grace as missing out on school during those months would have ruined me in terms of performance in the HSC. The truth of the matter is that technology has its ups and downs, and no one can give a direct answer to whether technology has been an aid or ailment. However, it is arguably not technology which is the problem; it is us. We need to be able to determine the limits of technology and understand the point where our usage negatively affects us....