The past few decades have seen a drastic change in the development and usage of technology. It has affected the lives of people and has changed the way of their thinking, learning, and communication patterns. Technology has now become a necessity for society. Both technology and society are co-dependent. A society’s potential to progress gives rise to technological changes and their impact on society.
Humans use technology to explore, connect, study, and work. Society relies on technology for daily chores, and the technical requirements are continuously growing. The utilization of technology in society decides whether it has a positive or a negative impact.
Positive Impacts of Technology
Education
Technology is having a positive impact on the education sector. It enhances the learning process with the help of the internet. Most of the data on the internet is free, and you can access the data anytime, anywhere. Thanks to developing technology, virtual learning has become more accessible in the past few years. We can learn a new language, technical skill, or programming language without going anywhere.
Communication
Every society thrives on communication as it is one of the essential parts of society. Through communication, we exchange our thoughts and ideas in society. People started communicating through carvings that moved on to letters and, in the present world, moved on to emails. Earlier, people sent messages through pigeons, which later changed to calling people on their telephones. But now, it is through video calls or through social media platforms that we call and communicate with one another.
Agriculture
Technology has also changed the dynamics of agriculture over the past several years. Machines and technological systems have replaced ancient manual and animal labor. In the present day, mechanized agriculture is booming with the help of lots of machines and technical instruments that are used in the agricultural area. Farming has become much easier and more effective with the help of the automation techniques used in this sector. Farm practices have become highly efficient and more automated, which helps produce more food resources for society.
Healthcare
Technological advancements in the healthcare sector have made a massive improvement in society. AI-powered healthcare systems are continuously helping in the development of new drugs and tests. Technological progress can decrease overall healthcare expenditures and allow monitoring of the status of patients to detect any abnormalities sooner. This will further help in diagnosing and preventing diseases rather as well.
Transportation
Earlier, people used animals to travel from one place to another, but it soon changed with the advent of technology and hence, the invention of automobiles. People can now travel efficiently and quickly with the help of trains, buses, cars, boats, and airplanes. This will not only help them cost less but also help them reach their destination in less time. Nowadays, services like Uber have even made it easier for anyone to book cabs quickly and inexpensively.
Negative Impact of Technology
Pollution
It is not only humans that affect our environment; it is also due to technology that pollution is becoming harmful to society. The rate of pollution is increasing daily due to vehicles and machinery. The fossil fuel emissions from the factories result in significant increases in chronic illnesses, such as cancer. This negative impact is also one of the primary reasons for global warming.
Health concerns
Technology is also adversely affecting the physical as well as mental well-being of humans. It makes people lazy and reduces their physical activity, resulting in sleeping problems. People also spend less time with their family and friends and more time indulging in several technological engagements, like games, social media, etc.
Due to the increased usage of technology, many diseases have also cropped up that were unheard of, such as the societal sedentary lifestyle (that includes constant sitting); high exposure to blue light emitting from electronic devices can also result in chronic illness, including immune system dysfunction.
Misinformation
Technological advancements are rushing, and so are fake news and misinformation. It is difficult for people to keep up with what is true and what is not. Social media is full of fake news and morphed videos that spread propaganda. Such things can easily damage a community’s and society’s harmony and peace. Many social media platforms are struggling with content moderation and are keeping a check by stopping or flagging misinformation to help fight fake news.
Cybercrimes
The rate of cybercrimes has increased due to the excessive usage of the internet. Technology is now available at our fingertips, and the internet is used by young and old; it has become easier for attackers to harm innocent people, be it children or older people, for money or other reasons. There have been many laws to fight cybercrime recently, but as it is an unexplored field, there are still many loopholes to be discovered and proper adjustments to them.
Final Thought
Technology has made a tremendous impact on the lives of humans from the beginning of civilization. The infrastructure is the backbone of any society, and it includes both telecommunication and transportation. The evolution of both these systems has significantly helped to shape modern society. However, as you have read here, technology has both advantages and disadvantages. It can potentially have devastating consequences on society if not used well. It is the responsibility of society to integrate technology into their lives in a positive way to get things done productively and healthily.