Are We Too Dependent on Technology?

Technology has become so entwined with all of us. We franticly live depending on technology and most of us would be more frazzled without it. If you’re without it, you’re disconnected. You feel like it’s a lifeline.” I realized that we are placing too much trust in technology instead of lifting our heads, looking around, and thinking for ourselves, when for almost 2 weeks my mobile was ‘sick’. In fact I had two mobile with two lines and yet when one of it broke down, I was feeling helpless which shouldn’t be that way. Before this, we were never dependent on mobiles 15 years back. How can these happen?

A sigh of relief and a big smile flashed across my face when I got my cell phone fixed with just minor repair. It’s just the same excitement I had when I got this mobile for the first time. But what astounded me the most was the large crowd swarming the digital mall where I fixed my phone! People from all walks of life can be seen brimming each and every booth negotiating for a best buy. Mobile phones, IPad, Bluetooth, IPod, notebook etc are some of the attractive gadgets up for deal! It was at this point of time, I am able to comprehend that latest technology are becoming a basic necessity in life these days. It looks to me like world’s fastest growing technology savvy people are growing in numbers and across all walks of life.

The latest gizmo that caught my attention is the fascinating iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab. I just couldn’t take my eyes of it. And acha was even rousing me to invest on this instead of Android, which make sense to me. Dad is always technologically savvy and keeps updated with the current advances in gadgets. He was the one whom I seek advice when I am purchasing laptops, phones, GPS, Bluetooth and even external hard disk. He is brand and quality conscious when it comes to investing on latest gizmo. Both of us came to the Digital Mall in the pretext of fixing up my phone but walked around to survey for iPad and Galaxy Tab. He told me not to rush in getting one since he will do some homework on which is the best value for money and use.


iPad vs Galaxy Tab

I nodded wholeheartedly and follow suit to get my Bluetooth (Saying bye to days of aggravating headset and welcome to wireless call receiving while driving). Finally I got my Bluetooth to replace my headset which is a bit of taxing since I have a knack for tangling all my headset and end up with only one functional earpiece (I am known to be a rough user back at home from very young). Ha, ha, ha…It is so ME!



Flashback: The famous girl for destroying all mommy’s exotic vases and household items when I used to dash across in the living hall as a kid. Ever since it has been my signature attribute when it comes to describing me to others. Dad and mom loves to bring this topic up to all those they know.

With a snap of a finger, we are all connected via various technology platforms and its use eases our daily life. For instance, take the case of fancy coffee machine dispenser. I have the pleasure of just getting my coffee or Milo or even tea with a click of a button. Coffee is a big deal at work. And to face the coffee machine breakdown is a panic on the rise for most of us since we are deprive from being caffeinated. It’s obvious that people like me need coffee to kick starts the day. One big question pop in my head, “Are we so dependent on that machine?” To be able not to depend much on it, I bought my own coffee beans and brew my coffee tailored to the taste and blend that I prefer. This is something that I can contribute on the effort to be independent. Nothing tastes quite like freshly brewed coffee made by self!


Thinking about the caffeine situation in the office made me wonder about other pieces of technology that we’re dependent on. We are sending emails, applying for jobs, e-filing for income tax, payment and banking via internet, etc etc etc. Data traverses networks and is converted to light, wavelengths, electricity and back again before it arrives at its destination. Do you know how an email sent from your phone is routed to its destination? What other things does technology do for us automatically that we don’t notice? What the heck, I can’t even remember my family and friends phone number — my phone does it for me. This is bad enough!

I freely admit that I am dependent on technology most of the times. Not in my wildest thought would I imagine how to do my job without a laptop. I know my job revolves around wet lab competencies but the real science is all about data analysis, integration, hypothesis and interpretation. To make sense of the whole project, I need laptop to work on the analytical software’s in the cloud of my laptop via the server. I heard from senior staffs and my dad, before the days of computers, office workers used to store their data with conventional filing and data entry via typewriter. Can you imagine? Oh gosh!