Recent advancements in technology have dramatically changed the way we live and interact with each other. In many ways our lives have greatly benefited from these many improvements, such as an unprecedented dissemination of information, enhanced communication, and more. However, I fear that many unintended and undesirable outcomes have resulted. I explain my concerns below, and conclude by offering myself advice on how to handle those concerns.
Concern #1: Technology can distract us from sustained, reflective thought.
So often when I go to the internet to search specifically for something, or to compose an email, I find myself whisked away by a link, a pop-up, an ad, a new message, a notification, or some other tangent. Suddenly an hour has gone by, and I realize that I still have not accomplished my original purpose. I also find myself frequently sidetracked by seemingly endless messages (emails, texts, voice mails, social media messages, etc.), which lure me away from more important pursuits. At my job, I could easily spend most of my workday simply reading and answering messages and never get anything meaningful done.
Sometimes I am lulled into thinking that time spent staring at a screen can be unwinding, relaxing, and renewing. Many of us easily get sucked into checking messages, social media, sports scores, surfing the net, watching YouTube videos, or playing a video game late into the night. Even if the activity is “mindless” (i.e., not mentally demanding), such prolonged engagement does not allow the brain to fully disengage and get the sleep that it truly needs. Over time this can lead to mental fatigue and reduced effectiveness.
Then there is “multi-tasking.” It is tempting to think that I can effectively flit back and forth from task to task, tab to tab, person to screen, or screen to driving a car. Trying to multitask is inefficient -- for both pursuits -- and wastes time. (And in the case of driving a car, it is extremely dangerous.) With such splintered attention, neither task receives anything beyond superficial attention. It is also discourteous to do so if one of the tasks is speaking with another person, where your eyes and attention keep steering away from them and the conversation at hand.
Another means of distraction is the “omnivailability” of those who own a smartphone. No matter where you are or what you are doing -- day or night, next door or a thousand miles away -- if you have a smartphone, you are immediately accessible and thus fair game to be interrupted (if you allow it).
Concern #2: Technology can corrode our use of correct, precise language and the thoughts that it represents.
Much of our communication, especially when texting, has deteriorated into abbreviations, acronyms, emojis, comma splices, and incomplete or partial information. Our messages are often replete with errors in grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Some may argue that since texting is merely a means to get chunks of information from the sender to the recipient, and merely for functional purposes, that it doesn’t matter if there are errors. That may be so in many cases; but too often the recipient is left to decipher what the sender truly meant, often misinterpreting tone and intention.
Concern #3: Some media promulgated via technology can affect our perception of reality.
Technology makes powerfully influential ideas, images, and videos immediately accessible. Quite often the message implies that, “We know what is right. If you don’t think like us, something is wrong with you.” I see this with news organizations, bloggers, advertisers, and especially in social media; and this applies to politics, religion, fashion, attitudes, and trends in general. Just because somebody or some organization “likes” something doesn’t make it right, true, or valuable. Conversely, just because somebody attacks somebody or something, it does not follow that that thing or person is wrong, false, or worthless.
It is also a tempting tendency to compare our worst to others’ best, especially on social media. Supposing yourself to be less glamorous, less successful, less beautiful, less intelligent, or less valuable than others is a distorted view of reality, and simply not fair to yourself. A spirit of comparison is detrimental, and can detract from your own pursuit of self-betterment. People who post glamorous photographs of themselves, announce the greatness of their relationships, post pictures of their exotic trips, or proclaim their own accomplishments may themselves be struggling with feelings of insecurity and seeking validation of their own self-worth.
Finally, pornography distorts and objectifies sexuality.
Concern #4: Technology can create barriers between us and others.
Technology has reduced the opportunities for people to interact with each other face to face. You can order your food with an app, buy merchandise online, request a service, find a location without asking for directions, summon a taxi and pay without speaking with the driver, or send a text instead of phoning.
I have been in many conversations with somebody, where either they or I have a screen open (smartphone, laptop, etc.). You and I might be having a “conversation” in the same room, but between the eyes darting back and forth from the screen to the person and some trite phrases exchanged, our communication is impeded, often empty, and we may as well be on opposite ends of the world. Particularly in social settings, whether it’s a family gathering, a waiting room, a party, a crowded bus, etc., the moment the screens come out, barriers are raised. Everyone goes to their own place, despite physical proximity, and we are not really together. This can be terribly isolating. No wonder so many people feel alone, anxious, and depressed nowadays.
In my career, I regularly attend trainings, meetings, and conferences. I have noticed that shortly after the speaker begins their presentation, many in the audience either open up their laptop or hop on their smartphone. Sometimes it feels like nobody is listening to or engaging with the speaker’s presentation. Eyes go down. Is anybody taking notes? Perhaps. But the collective tune-out is often glaringly conspicuous. Sadly, it seems that our society has come to accept this practice as the norm. It is not only impolite and unprofessional, but also a costly habit that impedes professional development.
The anonymity component of technology also creates a barrier or enmity. For example, there is a text or phone call from an unknown source, or comment boards (such as on news sites) where contributors hide behind the mask of a pseudonym or an unidentified number and leave defamatory, intolerant, hurtful, or profane comments. It seems a human tendency to say more blunt and attacking comments when one thinks they can say them in disguise.
Concern #5: Technology can make us impatient.
With immediate access to communication, information, merchandise, and services, we as a society often have a hard time tolerating anything that takes time. Waiting goes out the window when virtually anything your heart desires is just a click away. Gone are the days of having to hunt for a recipe, an address, a fact, a solution, etc. We have become a Veruca Salt society (if you don’t know who that is, just pull out your smartphone and Google it) of self-entitlement.
Conclusion
I am getting swept away too easily by technology, pulled from my moorings, becoming reactionary, becoming flabby, becoming a zombie, losing my creativity in a lot of ways, and seeing my relationships with others negatively impacted. I have to do something to take back my life, so I have written this essay, and I conclude with a letter to myself below.
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A Letter to Myself about Technology
Dear Tim,
Now that you have spouted off your concerns about technology, I need to talk to you. You seem to think that all technology is bad, but it is not. I want to give you some advice on how to manage technology so that it doesn’t manage you, and thus live a great life.
Here is my advice:
1) Focus on relationships! Engage with your wife, family, friends, and colleagues. Invite them to do things with you. Talk with them. Seek to use technology as a tool to enhance those special relationships, instead of allowing it to serve as a distraction, impediment, or isolator.
2) Recognize that you are in control of your technology. Your time is your own. Your energy is your own. You are smarter (and wiser) than your smartphone. Use technology on your terms -- not the device’s.
3) Seek to communicate with others in person (or by phone) as much as possible, rather than emailing or texting. Think about it: To email or text about an important issue, it takes time to compose a thorough, clear message, and that still stands the chance of being misunderstood. Then there is the subsequent series of back-and-forth replies with more details and follow-up questions, which you will need to talk through as well. On the flip side, when you communicate in person, you and the person can see each other’s body language, hear each other’s tone, ask follow-up questions, often generate better solutions together, and find greater clarity. In addition, it usually takes less time, and the relationship is strengthened in the process.
4) Improve your focus strategically when using technology:
- Put the page to full screen, so that there’s no background icons or side distractions.
- Turn off as many notifications as you can.
- Leave distracting devices elsewhere when engage in important pursuits.
- Have only one tab open if possible.
- Do important projects in a sustained block of time, instead of interrupted segments. You won’t have to remember each time where you left off, what you have done, mentally re-engage, and resume. You will ultimately get more done, in less time, and do it better.
- Like I said in #3, communicate as much as you can in person or by phone. If that’s not feasible, then …
- Prioritize: Attend to the most important messages first.
- Realize that you don’t have to answer every message the moment it comes.
- Delete the unnecessary.
- Delegate where possible.
- Keep your answers brief.
- Unsubscribe.
6) Renew yourself every day, without technology: Take time to think, pray, sleep (you need your sleep!), sing, play sports, exercise, create, listen to a record, nap, play with your kids, go on a date, read, visit somebody, get out of the house, walk the dogs, write a poem, write in your journal, write an essay like this one, go to the park, knit a scarf, dance, etc.
7) Proofread before posting or sending. Use the resources available online such as a dictionary, thesaurus, spell check, and grammar check. Insist that all important communications from you are crisp, clear, and error free.
8) Post positive things on social media. Use technology for good, and for improving human relationships. Avoid sarcasm, complaints, and criticism.
Final Thoughts
Technology is here to stay. Embrace it. It has the power to connect us to or disconnect us from each other. Use it purposefully as a tool, to help you have a better life.
Despite the potential hazards that technology poses, it can still be a wonderful ally, as long as we wield it purposefully and deliberately. I am confident that we can benefit from the advantages that technology offers by purposefully implementing proactive strategies and habits to circumvent its potential pitfalls.
