The impact of technology on human life
Positive impacts Negative impacts
Technology is scientific knowledge applied to practical purposes in human life, and it minimizes our effort for arduous work. The world has changed due to the development of technology.
Smartphones, email, computers, and other technologies have been a boon to humanity.
Besides having the positive impact of technology on human life, it also has some negative effects.
positive impacts:
Development of communication:
Before, the only means to communicate was to be physically present somewhere or to send letters via messenger like a pigeon. We couldn't be able to contact somebody who was far away when an emergency arose. Alexander Graham Bell's creation of the telephone in 1876 brought about a revolution in our thousands of years of conventional modes of communication.
We didn't need to look back since then, and as time passed, new technologies emerged, such as the internet, smartphones, video conferencing, social media, etc. We can now communicate with anyone, at any time, from anywhere in the world.
We are no longer constrained to our narrow confines. As technology advanced, countries around the world became more interconnected. Moreover, we discovered the concept of globalization and have now become global citizens.
Educational advancement:
As with other sectors of life, technological advancement has resulted in large improvements in our educational methods. We now have devices such as multimedia projectors that make lessons more participatory and enjoyable for students. Many video-calling platforms now allow students to join their classes from home. Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, educational institutions worldwide were off, yet teachers took classes online, and students did not lose their valuable time. It was not even imaginable 20 years ago, but technological advancements made it possible.
Furthermore, students are no longer only reliant on their institution teachers. Many of the top teachers have a YouTube channel where they upload videos that students from all around the world can learn from. Also, animation, 3D visuals, and other media make learning more enjoyable for children.
There are many online paid and free courses available to help people improve their expertise. Laptops, iPads, and eBooks, along with other digital devices, make studying more fun.
Trade & commerce:
In today's world, no business could exist without the assistance of technology. Technology completely changed our conventional concept of trade and commerce. Technology has accelerated the evolution of the business. The technical sector is the largest business industry in the world today.
Spreadsheet and data management software, digital marketing, video conferencing, and other technologies have had a significant impact on the growth of businesses.
Computers, laptops, smartphones, digital watches, printers, and other technological devices generate huge revenue for major technology businesses. According to a report, around 1.2 billion smartphones were supplied worldwide in 2022!
In today's world, no business could exist without the help of technology. Technology completely changed our conventional concept of trade and commerce. The technical sector is the largest business industry in the world today.
People now even don't need a physical store to start a business. They can create their page or online store on a social media platform like - Facebook, or Instagram and grow their businesses.
Many people and organizations are now selling their courses online and making a lot of money. Female entrepreneurs, in particular, are becoming more interested in online business and working from home. There are cryptocurrencies now, and many people invest in them.
If you want to eat a pizza you can order it from an online phone app. If you have to shop for clothes, books, groceries, musical instruments, etc you can order them from Amazon and other online shopping websites. You would see that among the richest people in the world, most have technology-based businesses.
4. Medical science :
Because of the development in technology, doctors are now being able to save many people's lives. X-rays, ECGs, cardiograms, CT scans, etc. have changed diagnosing and treatment systems completely.
People no longer need to go to the hospital for minor health issues because telemedicine treatments are available from the comfort of their homes. Health consultants are assisting rural people in various nations around the world online, which was not previously available.
By Wearing a digital watch people can track their heart rate, pulse rate, sleep duration, and step count. They can use mobile apps to create diet and fitness routines. They can keep themselves fit by running on Trade mill.
Robots are being used for complicated surgeries, while AI (artificial intelligence) is now used for more effective data analysis.
Entertainment:
Entertainment is essential to human life, and with the help of technology, we now have the best type of entertainment that we could never have imagined before.
Earlier for entertainment, we had devices like radio and gramophone that was only able to provide audio sounds. The first form of visual entertainment was film and the invention of the first roll film hand camera (kodak) in 1888 made it possible. Then With time passed development of technologies provided us with entertainment mediums such as Cineplex, audio CDs, tv, DVD player, computer, and smartphones.
The invention of tv allowed us to enjoy good drama, shows, live sports, news, etc., and spend quality time with family. Especially with the development of smartphones we now can have access to millions of entertainment content with one touch of the hand. Platforms like- Youtube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. are very popular nowadays for entertainment. We now can enjoy high-quality 4K videos which feel like reality.
Negative impact :
Loneliness and unable to connect with society:
From Starting the day with an alarm clock to scrolling on Instagram before getting to sleep we're surrounded by technology for 24 hours. The more we become engrossed with technology, the more isolated we become in our lives. Most people nowadays do not have positive relationships with others in their community. People prefer chatting to speaking in person.
At parties and events, people are constantly distracted by their phones and social media. According to one study, social media is now used by 58.4% of the world's population. The average daily consumption in April 2023 is 2 hours and 24 minutes.
The number of youngsters and teenagers who prefer to play online video games over going to the playground is growing at an alarming rate. The students waste significant time on social media. We are losing touch with our family and real-life friends as we consume more technology, and as a result, we are feeling more lonely. We now tend to communicate our sorrow and pain on social media rather than discussing it with real people since we are no longer creating meaningful connections with individuals in society. It is becoming worse by the day. We must exercise control over our use of modern equipment.
Health issues :
Excessive use of technology is creating many physical and mental health issues such as-
- Using digital gadgets such as cell phones, cellphones, and computers causes eyestrain, resulting in blurred vision and dark eyes.
- Nowadays people's identities somehow got intertwined with the performance of their social media profiles. Those who have a well amount of followers & likes, and comments stay mentally uplifted and feel special. But those who don't have these things feel dissatisfied and melancholic. Also seeing other people's high success in life, we feel unhappy about our life. That's why technology effects seriously on our mental health.
- Children are the most vulnerable to technological use. Because of their early access to technology, they now exhibit negative symptoms such as lack of attention, lack of creativity, taking longer time for the growth of language, aggressive behavior, lack of physical activity, and so on. It's causing havoc in their lives.
- Using digital gadgets for an extended period of time before going to bed diminishes our chances of getting a good night's sleep. The light emitted by phones stimulates our brains, leading to sleep deprivation.
- Nowadays, children and teenagers spend the majority of their time on digital gadgets. As a result, they are not engaging in any physical activity and it's increasing the rate of obesity among them.
Increasing Addiction:
Technologies are a blessing for human life but they also introduced us to some new types of addiction such as video gaming addiction, binge-watching addiction, porn addiction, social media addiction, and so on.
Because of a lack of self-control, the things that were created to entertain us have now become addictions. Below are some of the shocking examples from some of the research that has been recently made -
1. An average social media user spent around 2 and a half hours of their time using social media.
2. The screen time of the average teen is around 7 to 8 hours.
3. 68% of Americans play video games on a regular basis, with the majority of them doing so for mental stimulation and unrealistic pleasure!
4. According to a recent survey, almost 2.5 million people visit the world's most popular porn websites every 60 seconds! Only in the United States do around 40 million people routinely view porn.
Cybercrime :
As society and culture progressed, technology introduced us to new types of crime, known as cybercrime. Hacking, credit or debit card fraud, online bullying of girls, defamation of celebrities, propagating rumors and communal hatred, child pornography, and so forth.
Cybercrime has now become the biggest concern for the people of the world because people can commit them from any part of the world and it’s so difficult to trace the real culprit.
Lack of reality:
Technology makes everything exciting. The popularity of virtual reality is emotionally distancing us from the actual world. People use social media, porn, and other forms of entertainment to escape from suffering and depression.
Most individuals do not like to read books; instead, they choose movies, and dating apps over real-life interactions, and porn without attempting to develop a meaningful real-life relationship.
We are getting everything with a single touch, and as a result, it's not developing our imagination and creativity. Now we have a lack of morality and we're becoming more like a machine.
Conclusion :
The impact of technology on human life depends on how we use it. Despite both the positive and negative impacts of technology, it is an unavoidable part of our life. but it’s not the fault of technology it’s humans that misuse it. If we can ensure the appropriate use of technology it will always be a blessing for us otherwise it can be dangerous for keeping harmony in our life.
About the Creator
DIPTO DEY
Hi , this is dipto. I love reading and writing about lifestyle, technology, science ,etc.
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The Bridge He Never Crossed
The river had always divided the town into two halves. On one side lay the old neighborhoods — narrow streets, familiar faces, small shops where owners still remembered names and stories. On the other side rose the new city — glass buildings, bright lights, offices, opportunities, and futures that promised more than memory. Between them stood a narrow iron bridge. People crossed it every day without thinking. Buses rattled over it. Motorcycles rushed across it. Students walked laughing, lovers paused to take photographs, workers hurried with phones pressed to their ears. Only one man rarely crossed it. His name was Saad. Saad lived his entire life on the old side of town. He taught mathematics at a small school, returned home before sunset, drank tea on his veranda, and spent evenings reading while the world beyond the river glittered in the distance. His life was calm, predictable, and quietly safe. Too safe. Years ago, after finishing university with excellent grades, Saad had received an offer from a large firm in the new city. The salary was generous, the future promising, the path clear. But it required crossing the bridge. Not physically — he had crossed it many times before. But emotionally. It meant leaving familiar streets, aging parents, comfortable routines, and the quiet certainty of knowing where every road led. It meant risking failure, loneliness, and change. So Saad declined. He told himself he valued simplicity. He told others he preferred teaching. He convinced everyone — except himself — that he had chosen wisely. Yet every evening, as the sun dipped behind the glass towers across the river, a strange restlessness stirred inside him. One autumn afternoon, while walking home from school, Saad noticed an old painter standing near the bridge. The man had placed a small wooden stool by the railing and was painting the river with slow, deliberate strokes. His canvas showed neither the old town nor the new city — only the bridge itself, stretching quietly between them. Saad stopped to watch. “You paint only the bridge?” he asked. “Yes,” the painter replied without looking up. “It is the most honest subject here.” “How so?” “Because it belongs to neither side,” the man said. “Yet it connects both.” Saad visited the bridge more often after that. Sometimes the painter was there, sometimes not. When present, he spoke little, but his words lingered. One day, Saad confessed, “I have spent my life avoiding this bridge.” The painter smiled faintly. “Many people live beside their destiny without ever touching it.” Saad frowned. “Is crossing always destiny?” “No,” the painter said. “But refusing to cross is always a decision.” Those words followed Saad home. Memories returned — the ambition he once carried, the excitement he felt when imagining life in the new city, the disappointment he quietly buried when he chose safety instead. Weeks passed. One morning, Saad found a letter waiting on his desk at school. It was from an old university professor. A new training institute across the river was opening. They needed an experienced educator to design curriculum and mentor young teachers. The position was temporary — six months. The pay was modest. The risk, however, was real. Saad folded the letter carefully and placed it in his bag. All day, numbers blurred before his eyes. That evening, he stood at the bridge as traffic rushed past. Lights flickered on across the river, reflections trembling in the water like uncertain thoughts. The painter was there again. “I received an invitation today,” Saad said slowly. “From the other side.” “And?” “I am afraid.” The painter nodded. “Good. Fear means the road matters.” Saad laughed bitterly. “What if I fail?” “Then you return wiser,” the painter said. “But what if you never go?” Saad did not answer. That night, he could not sleep. He imagined two futures. In one, he remained — respected, comfortable, quietly wondering what might have been. In the other, he crossed — uncertain, challenged, but alive with possibility. At dawn, he rose, dressed carefully, and walked toward the bridge. The river whispered below, patient and indifferent. For the first time in years, Saad placed his foot on the iron surface. Halfway across, doubt struck fiercely. He stopped. The old town lay behind him, warm and familiar. The new city waited ahead, bright and unknown. He closed his eyes. And stepped forward. The months that followed were not easy. The institute demanded long hours, new methods, constant learning. Younger colleagues questioned his ideas. Administrators pressured results. Twice, Saad considered quitting. But slowly, something changed. He rediscovered the joy of growth. His lessons improved. His confidence returned. His mind awakened. Students respected him not only for knowledge, but for patience. Teachers sought his guidance. Ideas he had buried for years found voice again. Six months ended. The institute offered him a permanent position. Saad accepted without hesitation. One evening, long after settling into his new life, he returned to the bridge. The painter was gone. In his place, a small unfinished canvas leaned against the railing. It showed a man standing midway across a bridge — paused between worlds — eyes closed, heart steady. On the back, written simply: “Courage is not crossing without fear. Courage is crossing despite it.” Saad smiled. For the first time, the bridge no longer divided his life. It had united it.
By Muhammad yaseenabout 15 hours ago in Education
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