My relationship with technology

My relationship with technology is neither good nor bad. During quarantine especially, I have been on my phone a lot more. I use my phone to communicate with my friends and family. I use my phone to keep up with my online presence and to keep up with other people's lives. I use my phone to read the news so I can keep up with what's going on in the world around me. Technology has changed a lot, even since I was a little kid.

Honestly, technology might be taking too much time in my life which I could be spending on people and more productive things. I find myself sometimes sitting at the dinner table texting someone or Snapchatting someone. I also find myself feeling anxious when my phone is not around me. I feel like the fact that we are so dependent on our phones is not good because it feels like separation anxiety when I don't have my phone right next to me.

Picture retrieved from: Page Design Shop

I can find whatever information I want to find on the internet, but this has its pros and cons. For example, if I want to find something that proves that evolution is real, I can. But, if I want to find something that proves that Christianity saved us and that Adam and Eve were the start of humanity, I can. Either way, I could come across an article that is full of fake information and is misleading me into believing something.

Picture Retrieved From: WSJ

I do worry sometimes that the internet and social media is taking over our lives. However, to me, this is a good and a bad thing. This is a good thing because it makes many things easier. For example, you can send cards to someone on an App on your phone. You can customize the cards for their birthday, graduation, Mother's Day, or anything you want. During quarantine especially, this is very easy and efficient. You can check your grades on your phone, you can meet new people on your phone, you can FaceTime and call people on your phone, and you can keep track of things with your phone. These are all things that make me want to believe that technology is all good. However, it comes with a cost.

Social media has a huge impact on the ways women see themselves. It has painted a picture in the minds of young girls about what they are supposed to look like and how they are supposed to act. 80% of women in the U.S. aren't happy with the way they look. This is mostly because of social media and the images of models who have perfect skin and small waists: two things which are very uncommon among women, but it is the "standard" that is set for them. Everyone has different body types and social media makes it hard sometimes to accept that. 70% of women who have a normal weight want to weigh less and are unhappy when they step on the scale. The only reason for this is social media.
(Information from: MACMH)

Picture Retrieved From: Waldenu

Technology has taken our lives from outside to inside. Instead of enjoying a beach vacation with our family, we are worried about what pictures we are going to post and if we will have WiFi in the hotel. In the Tears For Fears video, it reminded me of New York City and how crowded it is. You walk down the street and just about every person is on their phone. Phones cause distractions. If someone were to be crossing the street and paying attention to their phone rather than to the cars, that could lead to being hit. Phones distract people who are driving. 660,000 people try to use their phones while driving every day. 1 out of every 4 accidents in the U.S. is caused by texting and driving. 1.6 million car crashes happen every year because of texting and driving.

(Information from: Edgar Snyder)

Picture Retrieved From: Flickr

Overall, technology has its ups and downs, similar to just about everything in this world. We can change the way technology is harming us. We can put down our phones while we are driving. We can put down our phones when we are spending time with our family and friends. We can use phones for what they are used for: communication. We need to stop letting technology take over our lives.