By: Babajide Martins Faleru
In today’s world, technology has proven to be the most devices of our lives and it has sharpened all aspects of humanity. It has even broaden the way we communicate and it has brought businesses to lime light and most transactions were done effectively with the help of electronic devices such as computers, mobile phones, fax machines and many other devices to mention just a few.
The most device of all is the mobile phone. It has become brazenly clear that many can’t do without their mobile phone these days, especially the younger generation. They are busy with it in every area or corners. It may be at school, at home, in the kitchen, in the toilet, on the bus or inside the ship. It has taken every aspect of their lives, as well as increased communication among people, not only the younger ones like wise the adults. The power of communication has brought community of machines and it has been the most effective way of communicating.
In recent time, the ways things are done with technology have changed and more effective than the ways things were done in the past. Life is becoming easier than we expected, problems are being solved with the advance of technology. Other way round, it has helped in terms of health dealing with all types of diseases with advance technology in medical care which has given people access to live healthier and happier life by taking advantages of the most recent developments in biotechnology such as genetic engineering.
It has cost advancement in nuclear energy and it has broaden the way energy is being used through nuclear plant and other form of energy which has made our lives easier and more accessible to any technology within our reach.
Transportation system will not be left out, through the advancement of technology, it has become easier for people to travel and transport their goods to any destination. Metro systems have improved, fast trains have been built and hybrid cars are being built on daily basis to replace fueled cars in order to reduce gas emission. The navigation technology plays vital role in navigating our ways either by road or through walking in quest to locating our destinations.
Succinctly put, technology has provided many electronic devices to our homes and offices ranging from washing machine, dish-washer, air conditioner, microwave oven, printers, digital cameras, and many more. It has made housework easier and more effective likewise to office work. It has given us comfort and efficiency we can ever imagine of. It has changed the form of our entertainment like the way the television is being watched and the music is being listened to, these days. All traditional forms of recording videos, music, or TV programmes have changed and made easier to download music from the Internet.
Online games have taken total control of any form of loneliness and has given room for socialisation with friends, and at the same time, has helped in promoting friendship and it can improve concentration “A study by Information Solutions Group for Pop Cap Games discovered that playing video games can improve concentration, increase attention span and provide positive affirmation, especially in children suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In addition, we can burn calories while playing Wii Fit.’’ According to experts.
There are lots of things to consider using this advance technology, though it has brought many advantages and disadvantages in every aspect we may think of in our live. As one writer quotes “we’ve seen technology fail and we’ve seen it succeed”- ‘Jennifer L. Deleo. Looking at the advantages of it we can see that we have gained a lot, communications have changed through computers and all these smart phones such as “Apple iphone, Samsung and other smartphones have really made the way people transact and communicate and internet has not left behind from the scene, it has helped to save our documents, to upgrade and check spelling through soft ware program. “However, technology does us better than harm; it has reconnected us with old college roommates, helped us learn a foreign language, and encouraged us to exercise”. Said “Jennifer L. Deleo”. I agreed with what Jennifer said in the sense that we were able to reconnect with our love ones and families via Voice –over- Internet Protocol (VoIp) and callings are very cheap not only love ones or families are benefiting from this likewise the business world as well. Let’s take “skpe” Zoom, Google Meet for example, businesses and meetings can be arranged via these software program of which we do not need to travel to get our transactions done and it is saving us money and time. It played a vital role during Covid-19 pandemic. Thanks to technology.
Education:
This same tech is now providing more choice when it comes to education. It has now helping a lot of students to do their homework and research on any project that related to their work. More so, in some advanced countries it is no longer necessary to attend lessons in a classroom in order to further our learning. The wide spread use of the internet has changed and it has globalized education, and enabled educational institutions to be able to offer courses to student anywhere in the world.
Culture:
Through the help of technology many cultures have been promoted via internet and satellite television. We don’t need to travel to learn so much about people’s culture these days. We can use search engine like google.com, yahoo.com, Wikipedia and many others, to fine and to know whatever we wish to know. Shopping is done via internet which has changed the traditional way of buying and selling things these days. You can stay anywhere in the world and know much about the country you wish to visit in the nearest future.
Disadvantages:
Technology maybe the bed rock of our comforts and securities but it has its own disadvantages though it has given roses that we nurtured and at the same time it has made us to be lazy and addictive. Nuri Berkay Ozgenç quotes “It is a dangerous vampire which ruins humanity. I think technology is like a sharp knife. You can us it to cut an apple or you can use it to kill a person. It is your choice” This is very good point that was said by Nuri, to back up his word, new forms of danger existing as consequence of innovative forms of technology, new types of nuclear reactors, unforeseen genetic mutation as the result of genetic engineering, or perhaps something more subtle which can destroy the ozone or warm planet.
Transportation advancement might be a good thing but it has brought stressful traffic congestion in some areas like having tracks of rails in middle of roads.
It has made many children to be lazy of their homework because many of them have been addicted to computer games, video games or online games of which is causing diminishing in their academic performance. More so, in the use of internet, it has created new disease and disorder such as obesity, eye problems, laziness and loss of personality.
It has changed the way we communicate and the traditional way we communicate it is fading way gradually and if care is not taken, we might totally loss the affection and the true love will be vanished.
People will one day lose their jobs to machines that will do the work for them and unemployment will definitely increase and of which can lead to cyber crimes, though cyber crimes are in rage but the loss of employment will make it more rampart than ever before.
Machines and robots are too complex for most people to us.
We may be enjoying very bit of technology and at the same time we need to ask how ourselves “What are the hopes of machines and humanities
Babajide A.Martins Faleru. Freelance writer, London School of Journalism Alumni.
Email: bamfale769@yahoo.co.uk
