Global Political and Social Awareness - Technology

Technology has improved our lives greatly. Coupled with medical and hygienic advancements, it has increased our life expectancy, gave us luxurious living standards, and more opportunities professionally, socially, and economically. But there is a disadvantage of technology as it permeates through lineages and lifestyles. It has gradually encompassed everything we do and we have a hard time living without it. Let's dive in.

As I just mentioned, technology is everywhere. We can't live without it and that is the first big problem. Our lives have transformed radically in the last fifty years. Even more so with the introduction, development, and presence of engrained tech giants that have revolutionized the way we gather and understand information, plan vacations and trips, grocery and online shopping, and communicate with each other. The fact that each introduction is the "next great trend", socially you were forced to go along with this phenomena to be a part of a massive crowd. It is a sense of belonging. Those who haven't embraced it as quickly as others fell behind. With Whatsapp, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and other apps on the internet, millions upon millions of people took to the screen to dive into this world of information and entertainment exchange. Unfortunately, on these social media sites and other webpages, conspiracy theories, misinformation, speculation, and even extremism took advantage of the easy access to people of all genders, races, and ages. Many of these sites have become the foundation for dangerous material that has spread across all venues and applications. People have been sucked in and have enormous trouble getting out. Others have welcomed it and became a part of a contemptuous and alarming trend. Dangerous information can and has incited violence, division, threats, and tribalism among the population. Racism, discrimination and prejudice have increased dramatically as a result. Because of this, I have noticed a lot of problems in society. People have been threatened and attacked for voicing their opinion and used the platform to spread lies, deceit, and defamation. Since hundreds of millions of people have personal and mobile computers and the trendiest of smartphones that act as a mini computer in its own right, it is so easy to be swept up by these problems. You are always around it. You always feel the need to know what is happening around the world. It has become a drug that you can't push yourself away from. It has become a glorified recruitment station for radicals from all political spectrums unless guards are put in place to protect people who are vulnerable by them. 

The car is one of the most critical machines we used every day. Like technology, many people can't live without one. In large urban centers, many people have commuted by train, which is great. But the car represents personal freedom and it is one of the cheapest ways of travel for anyone. Of course, technology has improved the car making it more comfortable, safer, practical, powerful, and efficient. It has also spelled the end of the eternal combustion engine since developments in electrical, hydrogen fuel cell and other environmentally friendly sources of energy have taken the auto industry by storm. It is no longer viable to have a gasoline engine. It does not matter how efficient it can be. I think we have reached the ultimate limit with it and it is time to let it go. I see that some countries and auto manufacturers are planning to stop with the gasoline engine and put their efforts entirely on aforementioned alternative motors. Fossil fuels pollute and cause incredible damage. They are also not sustainable. To fight climate change, alternative engines is another wonderful way to tackle the issue. I find that technology in this aspect has done the auto industry well and there is a great big future for it. But the problem also lies on the comfort segment of the car. Technology is enabling cars to become more automated. I fear in the not too distant future, the majority cars will be able to fully drive itself. More cars today are appearing with features that allow it to park itself. As yourself this. How bad is that? For one, technology is robbing the people of skills and lessons that have been taught to them for generations. Drivers will soon forget how to safely drive, park properly, and use their awareness to get where they need to go in one piece. Cars are now packed with technology and it can prove to be distracting too. Soon I fear that skills needed to drive a car using your wits and experience will disappear and it is happening right now.

Technology has been a Godsend to major industries around the world. They can manufacture products far more efficiently without the use of human labor. Many companies have adopted automated manufacturing and production lines with robots to make their products at a quicker pace. Less people also means less payroll. Less payroll means more money into the pockets of business owners, corporate executives and shareholders. Economically, it is good for a company to do well, but it isn't good when more people are being shown the door. A weakened human workforce also means less money circulating around. Less people will have money to buy these goods and luxuries that have been dependent on for many years. Eventually this could hurt the business since less customers will arrive to purchase their products. When this happens, the entire country can suffer and this can radiate to other countries with deep economic ties with the other. 

I find that technology can bring out the best in people. It enables us to make new discoveries, go on exciting new adventures on our planet and in space, and learn about things in ways we haven't even imagined before. We have benefitted greatly from it. But like everything else, too much of something isn't good and it can become detrimental to our development in the long run.