Science and technology

Monday, 25 November, 2013 - 09:26

Has technology taken over?

by TeresaC

In E. M. Forster’s short story, ‘The Machine Stops’, he talks about ‘The Machine’, which is worshipped by the majority of people in the world of the book. In the story, the world's population is encased in a machine, and each person has an object similar to an iPad, with a Skype-like function - ‘there were buttons and switches everywhere […] there was the button that produced literature. And there were of course the buttons by which she communicated with her friends’. Recently, I accidentally spilt a glass of water over my beloved 2-year-old laptop. Almost immediately, the screen went blank and it hasn’t worked since. I phoned my mum in tears, telling her what had happened. It felt like I had lost a limb! I began to panic, knowing that, for a few weeks (until I can get a replacement) I will have to live without easy, quick access to Facebook, email, Skype, YouTube… And then it hit me; technology is taking over my life! Not a day goes by without me using the internet for at least two hours a day, be it for work, or fun, or online shopping, studying, or contacting my friends and family. In Forster’s story, people become obsessed with their ‘Book of the Machine’. When I first read the story six months ago, I found it a little scary because it does reflect our lives today, to some extent. We are all attached to a ‘machine’, be it a mobile phone, a computer or laptop, an ipad, or an iPod or an MP3 player… When I realised that Forster had written his story in 1909, I was frightened – how did he manage to predict the future so accurately? Although we are not yet as obsessed as the characters in the story, it is believable that one day we may be! Something else that has surprised me recently is using a pen and paper for writing – I’ve become so used to typing that writing has become a little strange! I used to love writing, particularly letters, but also schoolwork - anything really! But in the last couple of years, I have become used to typing quick messages to my friends and family, and I have word processed all of my university work. My handwriting, once lovely and easy to read, has become a rushed scribble. Surely technology is supposed to make our lives easier, not rushed?! Realising this, I’ve decided that a few weeks without a laptop will be good for me! I am now using my mobile phone less, and instead I’ve written letters to my family and friends, taking time to really think about what I am saying to them. I’m sure that once I have a replacement computer, I will fall back into my bad habits – but for now, it is a refreshing change!!
Discussion
Do you think technology is taking over? Do you use your laptop or mobile phone a lot? How much time do you spend online?

Submitted by Sufia on Mon, 04/15/2019 - 07:15

my mobile is 6h a day and in a month i spend more o less 3gb of internet connection (this is quite much for a mobile) mostly for videos, for music and to keep in touch with my friends and boyfriend i think if you use too much something, it will be hard to get rid of that . So we need to spend less time in technology.

Submitted by Loganjames on Mon, 04/15/2019 - 06:35

Gradually we are getting obsessed with technology. We are spending too much time in it rather than passing it with our family members. We are always attached into one technology or another. In this way, our societies will go down and more distance will created among us. So it feels like technology is controlling us. So we should stop using much time in technology and enjoy the world outside of it

Submitted by Ovi on Mon, 04/15/2019 - 05:21

Because of technology, I have become successful to read the article. So, before I start to say something, I must say that if technology is taking over that means Man's intelligence is taking over because we have got technology by the wisdom of human beings. So, it is not a curse rater a blessing if technology is taking over. In other words, it can be said, Man has created technology and developed it to let it taken over! So, I think it is not a matter of concern if technology somehow is taking over rather it is a matter of joy that the most intelligent organism in the world is being success in their intelligence which is technology. But there is an important in case of matter of technology. Thailt is about its use. If someone uses it properly, its benefit is too much. It cannot be explained with a few words. But it has some bad uses also which can destroy huge. Compared to advantage, disadvantage is very limited. But these small portion danger can cause fatal harm. So, we must keep safe. So, we are easily becoming understand that user is a great point in case of technology. When I think about myself, sometime I use mibile or laptop a lot but some not for a huge moments. It just helps me when I use it usefully but careless use cost a huge time wastage. Everyone can easily understand which are the way to waste time using technology. A short story: just within a few days my teacher taught me how to solve a math, I didn't understand well but I searched the math task in Youtube and it became very easy for me to solve that. So, using technolgy properly, let us create a movemement: "Technology is blessing"

Submitted by Smm on Sun, 04/14/2019 - 12:19

The article is very true. I really think that the technology has taken over. I spend most of the time with my mobile phone and my computer. I think everyone is spending most of the time with mobile phone,laptop,computer etc. Thus we are wasting our valuable time and also our energy. We don't give time to our family. We invented the technology to make everything easy and comfortable.But now we are misusing the technology. Actually it is really bad to use anything very much.We are using the technology extremely.For this we are destroying our future.I think the third world war will be for technology.So I really think that the technology is really taking over.

Submitted by bluestars on Sat, 04/13/2019 - 17:18

Technology domination has become a part of the world.If we misuse these technologies,it can be said that technologies are taking over. Technologies are spreading and updating too fast and modern generation is becoming lazier,unsocial.Young girls and boys are westing their time by looking down at their cell phones.Relationship are formed over facebook or instagram. Miscommunication sometimes creates problems.Health problems are also creating. It has become a very bad habit using our phones too much.Now we can't escape from the using of internet. Technology can be very beneficial but it can control our lives without us even knowing it I guess. Laptops,cellphones,internet are incredibly helpful and has made our life easier.But all of us would be better off by minimising the uses of these wonderful technologies.
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Submitted by Lucifer on Sat, 04/13/2019 - 07:45

Well, thats true......I also think technology is taking over us. Using anything obsessively is harmful for us. Because it kills our valuable time, it hampers our studies and so on. But we didn’t invented technologies to waste our time, we have invented it to save our time. Nowadays people are getting addicted to it. By using technologies we are becoming lazy. And sometimes i also use my mobile phone a lot. But generally, I spend my 6 or 7 hours of a day in online. I know its not good for me. But as we know we cannot even think a single day without technologies. So, we cant avoid the impact of it on our day to day life. In this era, technologies are needed in every sphere of our life. But we should try to use the technologies as less as we can.

Submitted by Pheebs on Sat, 04/13/2019 - 04:53

Well according to the article given above, I agree with it. We all know that today’s is the advanced world indeed. Just because of technology we have become able to know the unknown things very easily which is so blessing to us. Nut it is alright till we use it for our benefits not till that they start to control us. It is we who invented it for our own sake. So we should maintain a limit. We are not supposed to get addicted with this stuffs. By using technology or device excessively we are not able to remain in touch with our family . Sadly we r becoming heartless and destroying our own creativity which are making us depressed and boring as well. So I think we should use them just to acquire knowledge and not to misuse them. Thank you,

Submitted by Ariya on Fri, 04/12/2019 - 17:20

Man has created machines and technologies but as they started using them they started depending on them and that is why gradually machines are taking over... Technology can be good but sometimes it also can cause us harm... Nowadays people of all age remains busy with their phone.. They are forgetting the real way of living life.. they are only depending on technology.. Which are also causing health problems and other issues.

Submitted by Elina on Fri, 04/12/2019 - 14:15

This article is so true ... I think it's the most common thing that's happening to us..we are just using those machines a lot.. thats the main problem.. thats why those technologies are taking over..not only phones or laptops are invented by us .. we have also invented washing machines .. those are not harming us in that level.. And besides that technology is involved in everything.. This is the time that technologies are being must for us.. just like education... It's helping us in educations too.. So it's in our hand.. how we handle it .. I also use those.. sometimes it's became addicted.. but that time I divert my mind in reading, painting ... i think that's the only thing I can do for myself ...!!
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Submitted by jonstark on Fri, 04/12/2019 - 06:00

I agree with the article...It's bad to use anything too much... I think its our fault...not the machiens.. Actually machiens are created by us....Trees and animals cannot take over us..it's because we are not giving them the opportunity...Perhaps we are taking over them.. We invented technology to make our lives easier and safer.... But it has become harmful for us as we are careless and trying to do everything only by commanding..Industry is the key to success but our ambition to become more lazy is destroying us... And i beleive...one day will come when we have to do war against our own creation..just like 'Terminator'... Nobody can deny the importance of technology...Technology is like a Gift box...You can always expect good but you'll never know what you might get... :)
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