Technology plays a vital role in shaping a society. Recent studies show that nine-in-ten Americans use some form of technology on a daily basis whether it be for personal usage or for business operations (Smith). The recent advancements of technology can both help and harm a society, therefore it is crucial to be vigilant about its consequences in order to maximize the pros and minimize the cons. On a much larger-scale, technology tends to be helpful. For example, multiple industries today including education, business, music, and travel rely on technology to keep their companies up and running. However, on a smaller-scale such as an individual’s usage of devices for personal pleasure, technology can be detrimental to shaping one’s social skills and even cause social isolation in some cases. Additionally, individuals using social media may be exposed to cyberbullying. In order to avoid the dangers that technology can impose on an individual, one must be aware of the best ways to implement technology in a society and how to stray away from the negative impacts of spending too much time in front of a screen. 

In today’s society, technology is undeniably important. We rely on technology for even the simplest procedures that take place on a daily basis. Simply put, technology “refers to bringing together tools that ease creation” or has the intention of “solving many of mankind’s problems” (Jones). Technology is all around us and has become crucial for our lives to run smoothly. About a month ago, my phone fell out of my pocket and got ran over by a car. It was completely shattered and would not work at all. At the time, I was upset, but what I did not realize is how difficult it was to operate without a cell phone on hand and how badly we need our phones to complete even the simplest of tasks. I had no way of communicating with my family to tell them about my phone breaking, so I had to borrow a friend’s phone to keep my mom from panicking about where I was. I had planned to get a new phone the next day, however I could not call an Uber and I do not have a car on campus. So, I had to call a taxi instead from a friend’s phone. Lastly, to top it all off, many of my notes from class had been stored on my phone and had not yet been transferred over to my computer. So, I had to get one of my classmate’s notes during our next time in class. All in all, not having my cell phone for one day caused me multiple problems and a great deal of stress. I was unable to effectively communicate, travel, or study my notes. It is difficult for everyone to operate without technology, however it is especially difficult for college students today because “these students are some of the first generation to grow up with almost complete access to technology” (Dye). This generation specifically does not know how to function without technology, proving the importance of such devices in a modern society.

As technological advances are being made, the integration of technology in educational systems has increased as well. The use of technology in classrooms has enhanced learning for students as certain programs are able to adjust to the specific learning needs of students. For example, there are websites that will cater specifically to the needs of visual learners, verbal learners, logical learners, etc. Additionally, there are websites designed to assist those with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dysgraphia, etc. Such programs make learning easier for students who struggle with school, however all students can benefit from these programs as well. By integrating technology in a classroom setting and by using the programs previously mentioned, students will be accustomed to the growing technological world in which live in today. Another positive aspect to using technology in school is the fact that students will become more engaged thereby deepening their learning. Students, especially in today’s society, are intrigued by computers, smartphones, and tablets. By integrating these technologies in a learning environment, students are bound to thrive due to their increase in participation and better understanding of the material. More than likely when students are researching a topic, they are prone to look up facts on a website rather than go to the library to check out a book. So, with the ability to find information with a few simple clicks of the finger, “the chances of the task’s completion increase” (Murray). With the completion rate of a task increasing, both the student and the teacher benefit. The student benefits by receiving a better grade and the teacher benefits by the student participating and actively engaging in the class. Technology is built to benefit teachers in a classroom setting as well. Teachers can upload assignments, grade work, and even detect plagiarism much quicker than ever before. Additionally, there are programs designed for all types of subjects. It is important that teachers begin to utilize technology more frequently in order to enhance the learning of their students and to also aid them to be the best teachers they can be. Although we have not reached the point yet, we are close to seeing the day that “teachers who don’t use technology will be replaced by those who do” (Murray). Therefore, it is critical for both the student and the teacher to integrate technology in educational systems. On the other hand, some argue that classroom settings should be kept traditional. For example, Rob Klindt believes that tablets should not replace textbooks in the future of education. Klindt argues that “initial startup costs” will be too high for schools to afford such technologies (Klindt). However, recent studies show that 97% of schools have one or more instructional computers located in classrooms and 91% of computers in public schools are used for instructional purposes (Murray). So, even with schools located in poorer communities, the majority are able to afford these costs and feel that it is necessary to spend money on these devices because they are crucial to a student’s learning. Klindt also argues that computers or smartphones “can invite digital distractions” (Klindt). While he may be right to some extent, school systems have the authority to enable or disable the rights to access a specific website or program. Additionally, as previously mentioned, students are intrigued by such devices and will more than likely want to stay on task. Overall, all educational systems should have some form of technology available in classrooms in order to maximize the learning of students and the teaching of professors. Technology has had a positive impact on large industries such as the educational system with only more room to improve in the future.

In a similar manner, another large industry that has excelled due to an increase in technology is the workforce. Most of the beneficial changes that are encountered in the professional field are due to technology. Technology can provide an alternate perspective on ways to tackle certain tasks in a work environment. In the workforce, that there are two types of technologies: “sustaining and disruptive” (Susskind 110). Sustaining technologies support and enhance traditional ways of operating in a work environment, whereas disruptive technologies challenge and change working practices. By employers identifying “inefficient activities” related to their field of work, they can turn to technology to give them a hand (Susskind 111). By computerizing certain inefficiencies, companies are able to develop a cost-saving, efficient way to eradicate any problems they may face. For example, some doctors “use telemedicine to consult with their patients” and some teachers use “blended learning” where their students will spend some of their time online and some of their time in a traditional classroom setting (Susskind 113). Both of these uses of technology are beneficial and help not only the doctors and teachers, but the patients and students as well. The collaboration of human and technology is remarkable, especially from a business standpoint. Machines provide “precision and consistency” while humans provide “creativity and contextual understanding” (Daugherty). Technology is more than just a set of tools, rather it is meant to be used collaboratively with humans to maximize potential in the workplace. Overall, technology has greatly impacted the professional field in a positive manner. Companies are able to get work done more efficiently and effectively, and will continue to do so with more technological advances to come in the future. 

The next large industry that has benefitted from technological advances is the music industry. People are able to gain access to music now easier than ever before. Technology began to benefit the music industry in 1895 with the invention of the radio. Since then, technology has increased greatly causing the music industry to boom. A recent study shows that 91% of Americans listen to music of which 75% listen to music online and 44% listen to music on a smartphone (Perez). Music listeners have benefitted from the multiple outlets they can stream their favorite songs from including Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, and many more. Additionally, artists and producers have benefitted with the technological advances as well. For example, multitrack recording is something that may be taken for granted nowadays, however it has had a great impact on musicians since the mid 1950’s. Multitrack recording allows musicians “to record separate parts of a song and piece them together” whereas before they had to record the entire song in one take leaving no room for error (Kearse). It also allows producers to make adjustments to certain parts of the song, such as adding vocal harmonies or layering pieces of the music together. Another benefit to the music industry is the invention of auto-tune. If you have ever been to a concert and have been disappointed by the way the performer sings on stage versus on the radio, you can thank auto-tune for that. Auto-tune gives musicians the ability to adjust any notes that may be off pitch. That is why nearly every musician sounds great on the radio, but can sound very different in person. Lastly, technological advances have benefitted the music industry by making it more competitive, so our selection of music has become more diverse and enjoyable. Digital software has made it so that music can be recorded at anytime and anywhere. Musicians can “write, record, and produce their own songs to a reasonable quality” from places such as their bedrooms (Kearse). By providing high-quality music, the music industry becomes more competitive, leaving only the best-sounding pieces to reach the top of the charts. Overall, the music industry has benefitted from technological advances by helping musicians piece together music easily and by allowing listeners to have a more enjoyable and easily accessible listening experience. 

The final large industry that technology has noticeably impacted is the way we travel. The invention of planes, cars, trains, roads, highways, airports, etc. has benefitted the way we travel by making transportation from one place to another quicker and easier. Society relies heavily on modes of transportation such as airplanes to get them from place to place. Nearly 150,000 flights take place in a day, proving society’s reliance on such technologies like planes (Deshmukh). While different modes of transportation have been around for a while, there are a few new proposals that could change the world of travel in the future. Elon Musk, for example, has come up with a few revolutionary proposals that could make travel even quicker in the near future. He proposes that travel from country to country can be made even quicker with the usage of rockets. Passengers can board the rockets which shoot into the atmosphere and can reach any country in the world from point A to point B in under one hour. The rocket could get from New York City to Shanghai in 39 minutes! Although the idea may be slightly out of reach for right now, we could potentially see these advancements in the future. Overall, without the technological advances that we have made, none of the travel we do today would be possible. We take some of these technologies for granted, however we are so heavily reliant on them that they should not go unnoticed. Technology has benefitted the world of travel that we know today and has a great opportunity to improve even more in the future.

While technology tends to benefit large industries, it can be detrimental to individuals by negatively impacting their social skills or by exposing them to the dangers of cyberbullying. In today’s world, it is not out of the ordinary to see young children or teens constantly on their phones or other devices. In fact, 88% of teenagers aged 13-17 have or have access to a cell phone, while 50% of those teenagers feel that they are addicted to their mobile devices (Linde). While it is true that mobile devices are beneficial in helping to complete everyday tasks, there is such thing as too much technology. Today’s society, especially teenagers, need to learn how to put down their phones and interact with others face-to-face. Communicating with others in person “helps you detect body language, feelings, tone, and reactions, which can often be misinterpreted through digital means” (Linde). Additionally, too much time spent in front of a screen can cause social isolation in some cases. For example, rather than joining in on a conversation or spending time with friends, some people have become more comfortable pulling their phones out and pretending to be busy. In this aspect, the person on their phone is setting themselves apart from the rest of the crowd and only harming themselves in a social aspect. In addition to the negative impacts of technology from a social standpoint, there are more negative impacts that technology can impose on an individual, such as the rapid increase of cyberbullying. Roughly 43% of kids have been bullied online (Moessner). While bullying has been prevalent for quite some time, it is relatively recent that cyberbulling has become just as likely to be seen. A large contributing factor to many people being cyberbullied is the amount of time people spend on their mobile devices. Another large contributor is the fact that “81% of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person” (Moessner). Most teenagers in today’s society use some form of social media, which is an outlet for bullies to make fun of individuals. The common excuse is that one harmful comment from one person to another was merely a joke. However, as previously mentioned, it is difficult to recognize a person’s tone of voice or emotions through digital means. Also, saying that someone was just joking around is no excuse to belittle someone else, especially over social media where everyone can see it. For these two reasons, it is crucial for people to be aware of the dangers of technology. While technology tends to be helpful, it can also be harmful such as instances involving cyberbullying or social isolation. So, individuals must be aware of the dangers technology can impose on an individual in order to maximize the benefits we receive from technology and minimize the negative impacts that technology can bring upon an individual.

Overall, it is reasonable to argue that technology is both helpful and harmful. While large-scale industries such as education, business, music, and travel tend to benefit from technological advances, small-scale usage of technology such as personal usage of devices can harm an individual in cases involving cyberbullying and social isolation. In order for society to operate to the best of its ability, everyone should be aware of the pros and cons of technology and how to utilize technology in the best way possible that will allow society to thrive with more technological advances to come in the future.
