Technology is very prevalent in our modern-day world. Access to anything you could ever need is at the tip of your fingers through a smart device. As technology advances throughout the years, we are able to do more and do it more efficiently than ever before. Some argue that this might not always be a positive thing. So, the big question is, does technology help or hurt our society?

An argument to be made for technology is that it opens up an entirely new world of job opportunities. Jobs such as influencers, web designers, software engineers, developers, and data researchers wouldn’t be here without the existence of technology. It also provides the chance to make money off of passions that were once only considered to be hobbies – singing, dancing, and making art are just a few. Technology makes way for a vast variety of jobs that allow people to express creativity.

Communication is another positive that is attributed to technology. With a smart device, you can talk to just about anyone at any time you want. Communicating from one side of the world to another has never been so simple. Without it, we would probably still be using pigeons to deliver messages!

Increased life expectancy through the use of technology has been proven as well. A study conducted by the United Nations in the 1960’s recorded that the average life expectancy was nearing 52.5 years. With modern-day technology, this age has become around 72 years. Important and potentially life-saving vaccines and medicines are developed through the use of tech. This is very evident from the novel COVID-19. The vaccine developed helped to prevent 140,000 deaths and around three million infections. 

Although technology has benefited and enabled society in all sorts of ways, there are also drawbacks to this. For example, addiction has become a raging problem in our modern world. As of recently, addiction rates with cell phones have been on the rise, possibly due to the normalization of them almost everywhere. A study found that of the newer generation, 21% are at risk of becoming addicted to their phones. If cell phones are continued to be misused at inappropriate times, this could become a major downside.

Privacy has been another concern with the advancement of technology. Anyone registered online could be subjected to having their personal data stolen by hackers. Theft and hijacking of personal data could cause economic loss in a person’s life, or even possibly put them in a position of danger physically.

Mental health and overall wellbeing is something that must be closely monitored while using technology in order to keep it from becoming another drawback to tech. People are calling Gen Z “the loneliest generation,” which is often attributed to the normalization of constant cell phone use and a decrease of in-person socialization. While this has not yet been scientifically proven, it has been shown that technology can contribute to sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and burn out. Tech allows us to be more connected to others than ever before, which can cause feelings of anxiety to constantly be connected. Burnout is very common if these feelings persist. 

While technology is certainly not going away any time soon, many question whether this will help or hurt society. If technology usage is kept under control and used correctly, the issues that come with these advancements will be majorly lessened.