The Effects Of Technology: Servant Or Master?
Technology: Servant or Master?
When used as a tool, technology is helpful, but when it controls someone’s life, it can have several negative effects. Several scientists have conducted research proving technology can hurt someone mentally and emotionally when used as a safety blanket instead of a helping hand. The effects include a lack of motivation, time management, concentration, and problem-solving skills. Other effects observed are changes in emotions and relationships.
As technology has continued to grow and evolve, it has also changed how society functions and interacts. In Christian Lange’s Nobel Peace Prize speech, he says “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.” Technology used as an aid is a servant. It becomes the …show more content…
“Sometimes they save screenshots of particularly ridiculous pictures of friends. ‘It’s good black mail’” (Twenge). Solving problems by threatening to show an embarrassing or inappropriate photo on social media or to someone is the way people keep control over others and it appears to solve their problem. However, this is not problem-solving and it leads to cyberbullying. “SNSs [social network site] are for instance very popular media used for cyberbullying. Children with a SNS profile are more likely to be bullied than children without such a profile” (Vanderhoven, Schellens, Vanderlinde, and Valcke). Individuals, especially teenagers, feel protected by the screen in front of them, so they post what they want without thinking of other’s feelings. This leads to hurt feelings and relationships destroyed.
Another way people try to solve problems is by putting them all on social media. Whether on Facebook, Instagram, or any other media site, people post their drama or problems online, so people will feel sorry for them. “Social media gives middle- and high-school girls a platform on which to carry out the style of aggression they favor, ostracizing and excluding other girls around the clock” (Twenge). While putting their problems on the internet may feel good at first, it will end up hurting people in the end. Social media gives people the power to cause others to be depressed because they feel …show more content…
Pagon, Milan, and Uroš Bizjak. “Information-Communication Technology (ICT) in our Lives: The Interplay of ICT and Romantic Relationships.” Organizacija, vol. 42, no. 4, 2009, https://www.dlib.si/stream/URN:NBN:SI:DOC-RC4TBAW6/9a1d8b16-2d88-48cb-8739-a8527cd6eacb/PDF
Turkle, Sherry. “Connected, but Alone?” TED: Ideas Worth Spreading, TED, Feb. 2012, www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together/transcript#t-1169030.
Twenge, Jean M. “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 3 Aug. 2017, www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/534198/.
Vanderhoven, Ellen, Tammy Schellens, Ruben Vanderlinde, and Martin Valke. “Developing Educational Materials About Risks on Social Network Sites: A Design Based Research Approach.” Educational Technology Research and Development: A Bi-Monthly Publication of the Association for Educational Communications & Technology, vol. 64, no. 3, 2016, pp. 459–480.,
When used as a tool, technology is helpful, but when it controls someone’s life, it can have several negative effects. Several scientists have conducted research proving technology can hurt someone mentally and emotionally when used as a safety blanket instead of a helping hand. The effects include a lack of motivation, time management, concentration, and problem-solving skills. Other effects observed are changes in emotions and relationships.
As technology has continued to grow and evolve, it has also changed how society functions and interacts. In Christian Lange’s Nobel Peace Prize speech, he says “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.” Technology used as an aid is a servant. It becomes the …show more content…
“Sometimes they save screenshots of particularly ridiculous pictures of friends. ‘It’s good black mail’” (Twenge). Solving problems by threatening to show an embarrassing or inappropriate photo on social media or to someone is the way people keep control over others and it appears to solve their problem. However, this is not problem-solving and it leads to cyberbullying. “SNSs [social network site] are for instance very popular media used for cyberbullying. Children with a SNS profile are more likely to be bullied than children without such a profile” (Vanderhoven, Schellens, Vanderlinde, and Valcke). Individuals, especially teenagers, feel protected by the screen in front of them, so they post what they want without thinking of other’s feelings. This leads to hurt feelings and relationships destroyed.
Another way people try to solve problems is by putting them all on social media. Whether on Facebook, Instagram, or any other media site, people post their drama or problems online, so people will feel sorry for them. “Social media gives middle- and high-school girls a platform on which to carry out the style of aggression they favor, ostracizing and excluding other girls around the clock” (Twenge). While putting their problems on the internet may feel good at first, it will end up hurting people in the end. Social media gives people the power to cause others to be depressed because they feel …show more content…
Pagon, Milan, and Uroš Bizjak. “Information-Communication Technology (ICT) in our Lives: The Interplay of ICT and Romantic Relationships.” Organizacija, vol. 42, no. 4, 2009, https://www.dlib.si/stream/URN:NBN:SI:DOC-RC4TBAW6/9a1d8b16-2d88-48cb-8739-a8527cd6eacb/PDF
Turkle, Sherry. “Connected, but Alone?” TED: Ideas Worth Spreading, TED, Feb. 2012, www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together/transcript#t-1169030.
Twenge, Jean M. “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 3 Aug. 2017, www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/534198/.
Vanderhoven, Ellen, Tammy Schellens, Ruben Vanderlinde, and Martin Valke. “Developing Educational Materials About Risks on Social Network Sites: A Design Based Research Approach.” Educational Technology Research and Development: A Bi-Monthly Publication of the Association for Educational Communications & Technology, vol. 64, no. 3, 2016, pp. 459–480.,