Recently, one of my professors, while attempting to run a PowerPoint presentation for the class, stated that technology can have two kinds of users. "There are technology natives and technology immigrants," he said. "I'm definitely a technology immigrant trying to learn this new culture."
His statement made me reflect on how influential technology has become in modern society. To always be beeping, buzzing, ringing and dinging is certainly part of everyday life, especially for technology natives like today's college student. Certainly, being connected to the digital world can offer new opportunities, but what is the cost? Are we becoming too addicted to technology?
According to a 2010 New York Times article, new research shows that the average American consumes 12 hours of media and visits 40 websites per day, with these numbers continuing to rise.
Why are these numbers so large? Studies have shown that the use of technological gadgets and the flow of information they provide is extremely stimulating to the human brain. Constant connection to the world combined with the primitive human desire for knowledge can make those smart gadgets not just helpful to everyday life, but essential. Scientific studies on brain response show that each time a person checks in to the digital grid, the brain releases a burst of dopamine, a hormone that initiates feelings of excitement. Without the ability to be connected to e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, phone and television, people feel bored and out of touch.
Digital gadgets allow for information on the go, which has led to multitasking mania. Although multitasking is generally considered productive and necessary for a fast-paced world, research overwhelmingly concludes that attempting to focus on too many things at one time can increase stress and actually decrease a person's ability to think clearly even after shutting down the computer and smartphone. In short, doing too many things at one time can lead to the long-term effects of a short attention span and a predisposition for easy distraction.
Just because we can be connected 24/7 doesn't mean we should. Technology has gone too far when professors can post assignments on Sunday night that are due Monday or record and send out lectures that were missed because of a snow day. Sometimes we just need a break. Limiting our exposure to technology can actually help with mental capacity and focus. While smart devices have definitely increased our capabilities and knowledge positively, the benefits often come with the cost of sacrificing personal relationships and time for individual reflection. Although digital technology can greatly help us accomplish tasks, it can also become a heavy burden.
The concern over technological influence is not new to the 21st century. One of the most famous advocates for the reduction of encroaching technology was the writer Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau promoted the idea that even as our lives become increasingly complex, a return to simplicity and nature will lead to renewal and rejuvenation. He himself acted on his view, secluding himself in a log cabin at Walden Pond, a nature reserve in Massachusetts, from 1845 to 1847. His experience led to the writing of his most famous work, Walden, which emphasized the beauty of nature and the need to slow down and reflect on life. Even then, he wrote about the dangers of too much technology. In his case, the advent of the telegraph. "Men have become the tools of their tools," he wrote in Walden. "We are in great haste to construct a magnetic telegraph from Maine to Texas; but Maine and Texas, it may be, have nothing to communicate."
Today, there seems to be no respite from being constantly connected. There are certainly benefits to new technology, but it should not become necessary to our existence. We own our gadgets, they don't own us. They shouldn't dictate our day-to-day activities, and we should be able to turn off, unplug and disconnect ourselves from the gadgets that seem to rule our lives. We as human beings should learn to relax and take a break from the constant stream of information bombarding us at all times.
While we, as Miami University students, may be natives to the digital age culture, we do not need to be slaves to it. Life is about finding balance, and sometimes we need to refrain from calibrating our machines and recalibrate our souls instead.
Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter
Read More
How one professor and her classes are preserving Oxford’s Black history
By Sean Scott | March 20, 2024Jazma Sutton, an assistant professor of history, teaches The Black Midwest (HST 350Q) and Black Women in America (HST 450D) classes. In both courses, she has students working with the Smith Library of Regional History and Miami’s archives to document and preserve Black history in Oxford.
Miami faculty members recount Freedom Summer in new documentary
By Luke Macy | February 25, 2022After seven years of work, “Training for Freedom,” a documentary highlighting Oxford’s involvement in the Freedom Summer of 1964, premiered on PBS Western Reserve on Valentine’s Day.
“Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic”: History in the making
By Alice Momany | August 29, 2021In March 2020, Miami University’s archives launched “Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic,” a collection focused on life during the COVID-19 pandemic.