have we as the human race become too dependent on technology and computers?
By mama_bear
@mama_bear (1118)
Canada
July 5, 2009 4:35pm CST
so mylotters, i was watching a movie last night that got me to thinking, have we become to reliant on computers and technology? the movie that i watched was called eagle eye which was the code name given to a computer that controlled virtually everything, and this computer was housed at the pentagon and was attached and controlled virtually all computer and networked systems. the computer went rogue and put into effect a plan to kill all the heads of state so that it could take over, since they were in its estimation not doing things for the good of the people. now this may be a fictitious scenerio, but if you really think about it a lot of systems are controlled by computers very important systems like traffic lights, trains, mobile phones and all that. what would happen if the computers that controlled these things crashed. where would we then be? factories have become automated and i can understand why this has been done, to make manufacture more efficient. but there are some instances where there is really no need for computers. have computers turned us into a race of lazy people who will try to find the easiest way to do things or to create technology to carry out even simple every day tasks.
now fellow lotters do not get me wrong, i am a fan of technology and gadgets, but sometimes the very thought of systems crashing sends me into a panic because there would be complete and utter chaos, people would not know what to do. the previous generation who did not grow up with computers around them are bound to survive, but i cannot remember a life without computers and the internet and my ipod. what are your thoughts on this?
2 people like this
12 responses
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
6 Jul 09
I believe we are starting to become very dependent to it already. But I do hope that there would be a borderline up to when we should be dependent on them. So far, we are still controlling that technology within human capabilities and we should limit it at that and not create something that could independently think on its own which I think would be threading into a dangerous zone.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
7 Jul 09
Actually we have started it already there are factories out there that uses sophistacated robots that can outmatch the accuracy of builing a machine plus they don't complain like humans do. At certain point it is still controlled by humans though since it is limited to by its structure. For me, technology would be a great help for as long as human intervention is required of them.
@mama_bear (1118)
• Canada
7 Jul 09
that is so true, i mean i get that sometimes the accuracy of a computer is required. i know that some surgeries are so intricate that they need the steadiness and the accuracy of a machine. yeah self aware computers would not be a good plan, especially if they can build and repair themselves, terminator comes to mind. a cautionary tale about a self aware computer whose instinct of self preservation kicks in and decides to do away with the human race. good point there man.
@mama_bear (1118)
• Canada
6 Jul 09
see therein lies the problem technology is advancing too fast, there will soon come a time when in certain industries humans will be obsolete. whole factories will be automated and that is a very scary thought because a lot of folks will lose their jobs that way.
1 person likes this
@apgh09 (514)
• United States
6 Jul 09
i think technology is great, but is has made people stupid and lazy. technology dose not help the brain muscles when there is always a machine with the answer. when computers, radio, tv was not around people were more of a family, people got out of bed with a purpose. people were physically fit not fat and obese!!!!!!!!!! So even though technology may be good in one aspect it is really hurting us in another.
1 person likes this
@mama_bear (1118)
• Canada
6 Jul 09
yeah it's true although now you can buy those game consoles that have like a work out feature. not the same though i know. and then there is the issue of all that pollution from equipment like old computers that has been trashed. all these gadgets and they have not found a way to dispose of old computers in a safe many. truly boggles the mind. reminds me of that movie wall e, i don't know if you ever saw it but earth gets so polluted that the human race moves to space while it gets cleaned up. while they are there they all get super fat and lazy and are plugged into their entertaiment pods that they never leave and they cannot even walk anywhere. yes that is our future.
@Signal20 (2281)
• United States
6 Jul 09
Oh we're definitely way too dependent on technology. Everything from power grids that supply electricity to our homes, to microwaves, everything is technology. It's really sad. I went through hurricane Charlie a few years back down in Florida. You don't realize how much stuff can be affected until you go through something devastating like that. You could not go to the ATM and get cash, you could not pump gas, you could not go shopping for basic supplies, driving was an extreme hazard because for some reason everyone thought an intersection with a light that didn't work was a free for all and no one stopped. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. I mean, hell you can even pinpoint someone's exact location via their cell phone signal! It's almost to the point it's extremely scary to be honest. I was born in the early 70's, and each generation sees something new invented, but man, it's speeding really really fast now, and I don't think it's necessarily a good thing. I always think it would've been kinda neat to grow up way back in the late 1800-early 1900's when times were so much more simpler :)
1 person likes this
@mama_bear (1118)
• Canada
6 Jul 09
yeah it is pretty scary to try and envision a world without the technology that we are used to. we would not be able to communicate with people who are far away from us. teh subway system would be shot we would have to rely on buses and taxi cabs, this would come with its own problems as the traffic lights would be down, and there would be traffic jams all over the place. with all the people milling around being scared and freaked out to add to this there would be looters and the crime rate would rocket because it would not be possible to call 911 for help, besides which they would have other more imporant issues to deal with. yeah i am a late seventies baby, and most of my life i have had the internet and computers and gadgets. i can do without them but i do not want to have to. yeah technology is evolving at a very rapid pace.
1 person likes this
@swtpareek (650)
• United States
6 Jul 09
Hi Mama_bear! I think you are absolutely right!! technology IS taking it's toll in human race.I get up in the morning and hardly do I even have breakfast I sit down to work on my laptop. That's just the start of it. My whole day is dependent on these technological things and the very thought of a meagre thing as having a power-cut sends me in panic... One of mu uncle work's in a multinational company and wherever he goes he has to carry his laptop with him since he is continuously getting mails from around the world! Moreover when I once asked him how he manages all this stuff and what if his computer caught virus. The reply was shocking! He said that the whole system was interconnected and it was quite secure, and if ever a system failure was to occur his whole company would be at stake since they don't do any paper work any more. All the things are operated by computers! Well let's hope our machine and robots don't turn out to be the ones portrayed in movies... 
@mama_bear (1118)
• Canada
7 Jul 09
omg, what happens when some malicious disgruntled employee decides to implant a virus to make the system crash as their own silent little protest instead of quitting, that would be pretty bad. centralizing any system is great in theory, but in practice it is pretty dangerous and can bring down a whole company, both national and international. i love the idea of a paperless society because it is better for the environment but it comes with its problems too.
@LaSenyoraSilis (313)
• United States
5 Jul 09
Ha! Ha! Hello Mama_bear, honestly to tell you truth I did not read all of your comment, but it is the title of your post that has really intrigued me. :-) If my mother were to provide you with the answer to that opening quesion, then the answer would definitely be: YES! :-) LOL. My mother is older and has an absolute distrust of technology. :-) She does not believe that money is to be obtained online and each and every time she sees me on my computer, she literally becomes upset. LOL. She has even told family members that I have formed an "addiction" to my computer! :-) Which is not true, because you know as much as I do that it takes a while to earn money online, and we are "wasting" our time for the "fun of it, ha! ha! :-)
This is a great discussion. :-) I loved contributing. :-)
@LaSenyoraSilis (313)
• United States
5 Jul 09
LOL, I meant to say that we are NOT wasting our time just for fun. :-)
@mama_bear (1118)
• Canada
6 Jul 09
ha ha ha yeah our parents would survive, mine became computer savvy in recent years because i moved overseas and we had to keep in touch and she is a writer too. we have even lost the art of letter writing, now it is all about emailing and texting. we have become so lazy, and back in the day people were more punctual for appointments because they did not have the luxury of calling you from their mobile phone to yours to say they would be late. yeah i have been accused of being addicted to the internet ha ha.
@LovingLife139 (1504)
• United States
5 Jul 09
I believe we have. I'm twenty years old--so most of the people my age that I know have become super dependent on technology, and I hate it. It has actually caused me to befriend many people of my parent's generation and older. My best friend that is my age, for example, doesn't call my house phone...she texts my cell phone, of which I check maybe once every week (and wonders why I don't answer her texts). I hate technology, with the exception of videogame consoles, with a passion. In a way, it makes things even more difficult, and it also tends to take jobs away (self check-outs at groceries have caused a decrease in cashiering jobs, etc.).
It also bothers me that younger generations have become such followers of technology that many can't imagine life without it. Life is so much more than computers, Ipods, and cell phones. We're getting more and more spoiled, and you're right: if anything ever happens to ruin a mass computer system, we're screwed until we can get it up and running again. Computers were supposed to take away the need for paper. Now we use more paper because of printing, printing errors, computer/computer software booklets, etc.
Although the Big Brother subject of this is something all on its own entirely, that's another what-if problem that may already be here. Do we have any privacy? Could we survive without computers and technology? I personally think it's sad that many say we can't.
@mama_bear (1118)
• Canada
5 Jul 09
what is even worse now is that you do not even have to leave the house anymore to make friends. games consoles are now networked which means that you get to game and chat and there is a whole virtual community out there and you need never leave the house, except to work to get money to by more gaming stuff. i mean in a way it is good what with the economic recession. you can stay at home and save money and still have a lot of fun. i now lack social skills, well they are heavily eroded because of my limited contact with fellow humans, i am all about the internet and online and gaming communities. yeah i would like to think that i will survive should a crash happen but i am not so sure hey.
1 person likes this
@LovingLife139 (1504)
• United States
6 Jul 09
You're right...as an avid videogamer, I know exactly what you mean. If I didn't want to, I wouldn't have to go out and make friends to game with...with the help of Wi-Fi, I could make friends WHILE gaming! I'll be honest...I'm one of the few videogamers I know who would much rather play by myself than with strangers over an internet connection, or invite people over, for Pete's sake! :)
What concerns me is that technology is growing at an alarming rate. I am 20 years old, and when I was 4, my family had a computer that ran on a DOS system. Within years, you could watch movies and download music on computers. Now you can bank online, shop online. If all this happened within seventeen years of my life...think about the kids who are growing up with cell phones. It'll be harder on them to get by without technology, whether in general or if things go wrong, than with the older generations who have had to get used to the technology itself. Let's say the entire internet networking system crashes in 5 years. I know how to use an encyclopedia and cite the information I get from it if I would have to get information by going to the library. Today's young generation? You can bet they're going to have more problems because they are growing up while it's booming and "the" thing to do.
Technology can be a good thing sometimes, but overall I have only seen it desocialize our society, make teens lazier, make driving more dangerous for everyone that texts, talks on a cell phone, plays with an Ipod that's hooked to a radio, etc. Basically, I think it's something that was meant to be a convenience, and is getting out of hand.
@mama_bear (1118)
• Canada
6 Jul 09
yes we are rapidly losing our social skills. the funny thing is i did not grow up with computers around, they became common when i was around 15 then came the internet and i was hooked and in love. i would also rather not have people over, and playing alone against the ai can be fun too. but the joy of online gaming is that you can sever the connection when you get bored or just want some time alone. you raise some very vlid points here.
@jbrooks0127 (2324)
• United States
5 Jul 09
While the movie you speak of is at present fictitious it is not all that far from a possibility. Computers have become so important in almost everything we do that it is not out of the question that at some point the decision to have one computer overseeing all others may make sense to someone and actually happen. It is technically possible only the reason and funding is needed.
While not on the scale you talk about I have had an experience that shows how dependent we have become. While on a trip we tried to check into a hotel. The computer was down and until it was fixed there was no way to register. We left to get our supper and when we returned it was fixed and all was well. This is a simple example however of how we have let computers control so much.
Try checking out at a super market when the computer is down. Can't do it or at best it would be three times longer.
Computers today are so interconnected, or are capable of being, that the example the movie made is a very real possibility. The only reason it would not is that some programmer would not let it go that far. I have worked in computers most of my life and am retired. The changes I have seen in capability is astounding and the advancements come daily.
To answer the question.....we have become way to dependent. To the point there is no real way to reverse it. The concept of the computer was to let man do more with less. We are hooked and to try to do without now is impossible.
@mama_bear (1118)
• Canada
6 Jul 09
exactly, since we are turning into somewhat of a paperless society, or trying to anyways, people no longer like to carry money around, it is a safety issue too right. anyways, there is now a prolieration of credit cards and debit cards. computers are needed in order to use there, or to withdraw money from the bank, to excahnge information. air traffic control requires computers too, if they were to go down planes would crash into each other. hospital equipment would fail to, if this was to happen, what of the people on life support? yeah it is too late to reverse it now, and this generation that i love to refer to as the computer generation, well we are growing them now aren't we. it is great that technology can do so much, but i wonder if there are people out there who still have the skills to carry out their jobs without the aid of technology.
@mrakobesie (1246)
• United States
5 Jul 09
I actually think every now and then how many people would survive if all technology would be gone, not that many.
there is actually rumors about 2012, some scientists suggest that a electro magnetic wave from a sun can be formed in 2012 and reach earth destroying technology because most of it runs on electro magnetic energy of it's own. I've traveled alot and lived in many countries including 3rd world countries. i know i can make it without technology, but how many people can't live without a car, phone, computer. where would they get their informatin. how will they talk to their loved once? i think a lot of people would kill them selves if it would happen because to them technology is everything
@mama_bear (1118)
• Canada
6 Jul 09
yeah i have heard about that too, and there was supposed to be Y2K remember that, that was one of the funnier theories. it is funny you should mention an electomagnetic way because i was thinking of an electro-magnetic pulse caused by some other computer or device malfunction. the thought scares me a little, because humans can be very unpredicatable when they are scared or confused, widespread panic scares. i believe that yes there are some who will survive, what of the others will they descend into madness and make it harder for the rest of the populace? what will happen to the world currency, stock markets, communications, travel especially air planes?
@jshekhar (1562)
• India
6 Jul 09
Hello friend,
I have seen a massive transition in the lifestyle of people and even my lifestyle in the past 15 years. There was a time when I did not have any access to the internet. I used it for the first time in 2000 and now I have 24 by 7 access to the net.We have become a bit too dependent on computers, ATMs, automated systems and all.
@mama_bear (1118)
• Canada
6 Jul 09
i know right, i have been firmly plugged into the internet for the last 15 or so years of my life, and i shudder to think of life without network access. imagine having to queue at the bank just to withdraw or deposit money. or going out during a snow storm to pay a bill, or purchase something. not being able to look things up on the internet and finding instant answers. i mean yes one can get used to pretty much anythinf if it is their life and they have to. i think that we would have to be slowly weaned off our dependancy.
@Tiamjr (435)
•
5 Jul 09
I think people would survive, we just wouldn't feel as interconnected as we do now. You could try a day without using a gadget to see how you feel if you are really concerned. I think you would definately miss them but I think it is possibe to live at least one day without using a computer, internet or ipod.
Lots of people do actually live without them either by choice or because they do not have access to these types of technologies. But they do make life easier and more enjoyable, so once you have had them it is hard to imagine your life without them like you say.
@mama_bear (1118)
• Canada
6 Jul 09
i know but the ones that i feel for are the computer generation kids who have not known another life either than one with all this gadgetery. i mean i know that they are people out there who have shunned technology and others who are not THAT dependant on it. but if you think about it power plants, water purification plants, traffic lights and many other things are run by computers. on a large scale it would not be good if something was to happen. i do not think that as a race we are prepared for this.
@cheekysuze (254)
• United States
6 Jul 09
I have often wondered that myself. What if we were the survivors of some catastrophic event? We would have to re-learn how to rebuild everything from the ground up. Farm the land, do things by hand. Yes, I think we are way too dependent on technology, but I also think that if we eschew technology completely we would be living in the dark ages. We just have to find our personal balance. (I'm glad I married a former eagle scout. I'll stick with him if there's an Event and be just fine!)
@tonythetigerx (13)
• Puerto Rico
6 Jul 09
I know that feeling of using technology everyday is something that we have incorporated into our daily lives people may think that is not that affective, but if you aren't sure about that. How would you feel if you didn't have any technology for a day?. Would go crazy?. Do you feel that you don't have anything else to do all day. A least I feel like that and I really hate it when the power goes out.
@mama_bear (1118)
• Canada
6 Jul 09
i cannot imagine what it would be like to not be able to listen to my ipod while i do the dishes, then watch some tv while i have breakfast, then log onto the internet. life would be so dull, i mean i am a reader but sometimes i like to just veg out in front of the tv and take a mind journey with some show.
