This past weekend I went to Virginia Tech to visit my friends. The whole weekend I never got a chance to get on Facebook or use a computer at all. It wasn't like I was too busy since some parts of the day we were just hanging out and watching movies, perfect time for mindless "facebooking". But I never felt a strong urge to actually get on the computer. So maybe I'm not "addicted" to technology. However, that wasn't the case last semester.
I took a class dealing with today's society and the progression of technology. I had to go three days without technology and I couldn't do it fully. That led me to believe that I was addicted to Facebook, TV, etc. Maybe it was only difficult though because I was focused on not using it as opposed to last weekend when it wasn't on my mind.
I'm still trying to get to the answer of my question "Are we addicted to technology?" Dictionary.com defines an addiction as "the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma." This does not seem to fit how I or many teens and young adults feel about modern technology. But there has to be more kinds of addictions than what we normally think an addiction is such as drugs and alcohol.
I think we as a society are addicted to technology to some extent, I mean we have the assignment in writing class to post to an online blog on a regular basis, if that doesn't say addicted then I don't know what else to think. Everyone may not be solely addicted to Facebook or the internet, but we with out a doubt are addicted to technology. We use it everyday with out even thinking about it. There are many forms of technology we use that you wouldn't necessarily consider a "technology" but it with out a doubt is, for instance, a pencil. Someone had to come up with it, and think of WHY we need it. Technology doesn't always have to be electrical, it can be as basic as a three-ring spiral notebook. So, we may not be addicted, but reliant on technology.
ReplyDeleteIf I am going off the dictionary.com definition of addiction, we are all probably addicted. Each one of us has many different preferred websites, but I know people who would die if they went a day without Facebook or Twitter. I think the most recent popular electronic technologies would be the cellphone and the computer, which I know myself along with millions of other people use multiple times each day, whether it is for educational or social purposes. I believe most people of today's time are enslaved to the habit of using multiple technologies, whether that be a pencil or computer.
ReplyDeleteMy friend just recently gave up Facebook for lent. And she did it! I think if we were forced to give it up then it could be possible. She never really had to urge to check it or anything. Sometimes I don't think we are addicted but just the routines are engrained into our heads it is hard to break. I honestly do not think we would miss technology if it was taken away from us I think we would just find another source of entertainment. The factor that would affect us the most would be the instant information which would be inconvenient but our parents did it, so why couldn't we?
ReplyDeleteI also agree that our society as a whole is addictive to technology. However I believe that the intensity of the addiction is different for each person. My sister cannot go a whole face to face conversation without texting on her phone at the same time. On the other hand I was able to go a whole week at camp without a phone and computer and did not miss in any way. I think each person's level of addiction is based on the environment they were raised in. For me I grew up without a TV in my room, didn't get a cell phone until I was a junior in high school, and didn't get my own computer till I graduated. So for me it is easier to be less addictive to it because I never had it growing up but for those who grew up with all this technology it's harder to give up.
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