4 minute read
4.3. Advent Of Technology
from Celebrating Togetherness - Through Avenues of Interaction, bringing people together
by Saksham Garg
4.3.1 CHANGE IN MODE OF INTERACTION
Innovation and continuous development in technology have done wonders for the progress and accomplishments made in Business, Science, Medicine and countless other industries across the board. In terms of social connect with one another, it has brought all of us together in the just the click of a button. Technology is more than an abstract concept associated with advanced tools and systems used by various end users. It also shapes the way societies and people behave, grow and react both within themselves and with others.
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While technology has developed over the millennia that humans have existed - from simple tools such as the wheel, irrigation systems and chariots, to complex tools such as computers, cell phones, the Internet and airplanes - the last century has seen an explosion in technology that has influenced subtle but crucial changes in how humans see the world and interact with others. Specifically, the Internet and mobile devices (i.e. smartphones, tablet computers, mobile gaming systems, etc..) have radically altered the way people interact with each other, since one of the major impacts of technology is the optimization of communication systems in the form of telecommunications and networking.
The changes rather alterations in how humans communicate with each other in the modern times, a large part of it is via smart apps which has both good and bad consequences. It is easier for the people now to stay closer to their loved ones, to be in close contact whenever and wherever on earth. Skype, Facebook, Facetime, WhatsApp, Duo Calls, Messenger, Zoom etc.. offer people robust opportunities to utilise internet as global platform for interaction. The effects are not all positive.
While the technology has helped to bridge the global gap, those who are physically close together are often far apart due to their inability to separate themselves from mobile devices. This is called Virtual Distance.
Fig. 23: Importance of Greeting Card, Physical Interaction outweighs digital interaction, Constant Checker
Technology has both eliminated a gap and created one.
Virtual Distance is a phenomenon where people are physically together but detached from each other due to being completely absorbed with their smart device, namely laptops or smartphones.
The End of Intimacy
Nowadays it is not uncommon for the people who prefer texting over actually physically meeting. Most dominantly it is also not uncommon for the people who are walking together, or even sitting together with head bowed down to their digital devices, without saying a word or noticing the actions of the other person. Thus, human interactions and relationships have largely affected. While the intimacy of human to human interaction have been replaced with human to machine interactions, technology has helped to modify human behaviour.
4.3.3 IMPACT ON MENTAL Well-being
SAJU MATHEW,
M.D., a Piedmont primary care physician.
Fig. 24: Technology Impact on mental well-being
In our ever-changing world, the use of technology is continuously expanding. It influences every area of our lives, from our ability to communicate with loved ones to accessing information at our fingertips. Unfortunately, we have also seen a number of negative effects of technology on mental health as well. Increased screen time and use of social media amongst teens and children have been linked to increased prevalence of mental health concerns. It has been linked to depression, loneliness sometimes.
Fig. 25: Graph Showing impact on mental well-being.
In 2017, Przybylski published a large study that collected data on both the time spent using digital devices and the mental well-being of about 120,000 adolescents.
The results showed that spending only a few hours a day using digital devices was associated with slightly better well-being than none at all. Only after longer periods was well-being diminished According to Ofcom, the UK regulatory body for telecommunications, 78% of the UK population, and 95% of those aged 16–24, own a smartphone. On average, people check their phones every 12 minutes, and one in five adults spends more than 40 hours per week online. Most of this rise in connectivity has occurred in the past decade, making it one of the fastest change society has experienced. Smartphones, Social media, video games and use of other smart apps which has emerged in recent times, have direct link with impairing memory, attention and reading, and making us less sociable.
Observation.
When connectivity becomes discconnection
As discussed, the technology has bridged the global gaps, it has largely helped to create a larger disconnect amongst people at a micro level. Increased isolation, reduced social interactions and social skills, and increased human to machine interaction are all result of an overuse of technology. When talking about on a global level and supporting the advent of technology, it does have ability. It has greatly improved efficiency in terms of long distanced interpersonal relationships which are personal, in terms of business tasks and thus have given people all over the world of opportunity to engage with each other.
