by Lenna Gonya

Created on: November 12, 2010

We lose power for a few hours, and we panic. We enter a “dead zone”, and our phone reception disappears, and we feel vulnerable and out of touch. Our computer crashes and we lose communication, vital records, photos, and data. Everyday, we rely on technology more in our daily lives, and less on our own ingenuity and self reliance.

If you have ever been in a store where the computers have gone down, you know that checking out is an impossibility. Where cash registers once handled the cash flow, computers now make the decisions. If you can make a transaction at all, clerks struggle with the problem of applying a discount and making change, without the screen prompting them on the exact amount.

Transportation, that once relied solely on manpower, is now programmed and only monitored. If the system malfunctions, trains stop, and air traffic is put on hold. GPS systems tell us where to go and how to get there, eliminating the need, or the ability to read a map. Cars are computerized and it is no longer possible to fix them yourself without specialized equipment.

Only a half century ago, the world revolved around the ability of people to provide services, human contact to get things done, and actual physical labor to accomplish work. We survived without technology because we knew how to do a variety of daily chores on our own, and we had the help of any number of people who were skilled in different trades. Today, it is possible to get through a day of work, banking, shopping, and even communication with family and friends without saying a word. We can work through the technology of the internet, bank online, shop online, communicate through e-mail, and text our messages.

Studies have been done that have found that many people no longer have the ability to write. In a world of computers, it isn’t necessary. Few people actually write letters, and never use script unless signing their names. Now, we can dictate our compositions and letters online, even eliminating the need to learn to type.

Technology is all well and good, but while all of this technology may seem wonderful now, it may be a handicap for future generations. There is still a need in the world for people to learn to deal with life without technology, and the current generation may well be missing this important education. There is a lot to be said for being able to do things for ourselves, think on our own, and make decisions without being programmed.

Learn more about this author, Lenna Gonya.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.