Technology has its boons and banes, and it must be used wisely. I say this even though I am from a generation that has grown up with technology.
The possibilities that are available at our fingertips are endless.
Today, it is a common sight to see children and adults slumped over their smart gadgets. The world houses just about a handful of old fashioned mortals who can boldly choose a book over a smartphone.
Life would almost come to a staggering halt if our gizmos, that have steadily become the oxygen that helps us thrive during the darkest hours of the night, were plucked away from us.
Technology has shrunken our world but has helped bridge the gap between learning and knowledge due to the easy accessibility of a variety of applications.
On the other hand, putting forth a tablet or a phone before us that is constantly spewing out stories, cartoons and films has cut off our ability to think and imagine. Media offers boundless opportunities for learning and interaction.
Children get to explore and experience the digital world. Slumping on your couch with a smart gadget is interesting; however, the lack of exercise is not only bad for your body but also affects our brain.
Cell phones emit radiation. Exposure to radiation has been linked with diseases like cancer. This is reason enough to encourage the prudent use of technology. Media can influence how children learn, think and behave.
Use of gadgets have a negative impact on school performance, and this can increase the risk of obesity and other illnesses in them. The many teenagers who lost their lives to the Blue Whale game are a looming example of the negative effects of gaming.
However, it has become a norm for us to view the world through the eyes of a camera, constantly freezing every moment of our lives into pictures that litter our social media accounts. As much as our smart gadgets have brought the world to our fingertips, the glimmering virtual world has snatched us away from our real one.
While social media is great, the real world is even better. It is time for us to reminisce that technology is a creation of the human mental prowess made with the intention of making life easier and not a contraption made to overpower the human race.
- The reader is a student of a Dubai school
