The technological progress over the last two decades has been impressive by any measure. The personal computer and cell phone were once luxury items, affordable by only the few but now they are as ubiquitous as other household items like TV and refrigerator. The technological progress has, indeed, made our lives easier and also made us more efficient in many cases but this progress has not been without costs. The progress rarely comes without costs and challenges and the modern technology is guilty of making us lazy.
The technology is making us lazy because it is making it possible for us to do certain tasks without mastering the basics. In older days when the technology was not as advanced as it is today, one would often invest significant time in learning and practicing a particular art. For example, the digital photo and video cameras are highly advanced today and any one can take professional-level pictures or make videos with them. But this was not always like this as taking pictures or making videos was an art one would gradually learn over time . While the technology has, indeed, made us more efficient but it is also true we have become highly dependent upon the technology now as opposed to relying on personal skills to accomplish a particular task. One sees similar examples on almost daily basis. Some are even concerned that people are turning to technologies for tasks as simple as arithmetic calculations because it is both faster and more convenient to google an answer instead of manually arriving at the solution.
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"Has Technology Made Us Lazy".
The technology has made us lazy by making us more efficient. This efficiency has increased our leisure time and options. Many tasks that used to be quite time consuming can now be performed almost instantly. A writer in the past had to spend significant time browsing books and journals to find quotes and citations etc. but now all of these tasks can be done instantly through Google and other assistive technologies. The pilots now do not usually fly commercial jets the entire route but instead make generous use of the autopilot feature . The days are near when we may be driving our cars in quite the same manner as well. The laziness has accompanied greater efficiency in not only our professional lives but also personal lives. The inventions such as microwaves and ovens and the services such as online food ordering means food preparation is not a time-consuming task it once was.
The technology is not only making us physically lazy but also mentally lazy. The technology often gives us an incentive not to do the hard work involved in analytical thinking. We are almost replacing our brains with smart phones, i.e. instead of thinking and willing to engage in mental labor to arrive at the answers, we are simply outsourcing the task of getting answers to technology such as our smart phones. This trend may hurt us in the long run because our brains also need exercise to stay sharp, especially, in the old age .
The technology is making us lazy. We used to master certain tasks through practice in the past but the technologies have become so advanced now that we can achieve professional results without ever mastering even the basic skills. The technology has also made us lazy because it has made us more efficient. We can do tasks in much shorter time now as compared to the past, and as a result we have more leisure time. The technology is not only making us lazy physically but also mentally. Many of us are outsourcing the task of thinking and analyzing to technology such as our smart phones and this habit may hurt us in the long run because our brains are not getting sufficient exercise.
- Coopersmith, Jonathan. How technology made us hyper-capable – and helpless. 23 June 2016. 3 April 2017
- Inc. Is Time-Saving Technology Making Us Lazy and Incompetent? 14 October 2014. 3 April 2017
- Wagner, David. Smartphones Make Some Of Us Lazy Thinkers. 27 March 2015. 3 April 2017
