Do you think this is healthy and positive for coexistence in our society?

Question

Nowadays our society has developed a very marked dependence on the use of technologies.

Answer 1

There is a dependence on technology that has ballooned over the last few decades. Whether this is positive and healthy depends on the perspective one takes on the debate.

On one hand, there has been data that suggests that technology can have a negative effect on health if not monitored. Hamer et al. (2009) suggested that psychological distress (along with low physical activity) can happen within children ages 4 to 12. Other studies also claim that increased use of technology can cause various problems such as social anxiety, ADHD, and so on (Ko et al.; 2012). Of course, these studies cannot be a definitive answer as one must take these studies into careful consideration since multiple factors can affect these outcomes. But, they offer some insight, at the very least, into the concerns and problems society could face if we do not proceed with caution.

However, the argument that views technology more positively claims that there are more benefits than there are consequences. In a Huffpost on wearable technologies, Vala Ashfar mentions the benefits of items or apps such as FitBits that can track health and help regulate a healthy lifestyle. Also, within the healthcare system, society has seen an increased use of technologies that help make healthcare easier to use and more accessible. On accessibility, we have also seen positive use of technology within these last two years with the Covid-19 pandemic. Although it took time to adjust, society could function (somewhat) normally because of the availability of those technological various tools. So though there is the possibility of misuse of technology and could be unhealthy, there are also positive ways technology coexists with us.

Overall, both arguments on whether technology being healthy and technology being positive have various factors that make it difficult to give a definitive answer. We have created somewhat of a symbiotic relationship because it is now so integrated into our lives. With that being said, there is a danger in over-dependence. Anything in excess can be detrimental to someone, however with conscious efforts to balance technology, coexistence may be possible.

Citations:

Afshar, V. (2017, December 7). Wearable technology: The coming revolution in healthcare. HuffPost. Retrieved September 25, 2021, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/wearable-technology-the-c_b_5263547.

Hamer M, Stamatakis E, Mishra G. Psychological distress, television viewing, and physical activity in children aged 4 to 12 years. Pediatrics. 2009;123:1263–1268. 

Ko CH, Yen JY, Yen CF, Chen CS, Chen CC. The association between Internet addiction and psychiatric disorder: A review of the literature. European Psychiatry. 2012;27:1–8.