San Juan, Steven
Prof. Monte
14 October 2013
Argument Essay Technology has been the long standing symbol for human advancement. As history progressed, technology developed, adapting rapidly to an advanced world. From early basic technology such as the plow — which helped in farming — to high-tech modern technology such as telephones which connects people from one side of the earth to another. Technology has been our aid in progression throughout time up until now. Today, technology is so liberal that it gives us the knowledge in a platter, and turns us into naïve, shallow thinkers. The use of computers, cellphones, TV, and other media gadgets are rendering people to become excessively media dependent. Kids, as well as adults, are being targeted by the effects of technology. As quoted by Ochs who observed the Coxes family — who were engulfed by their use of technology — “We saw that when the working parent comes through the door, the other spouse and the kids are so absorbed by what they’re doing that they don’t give the arriving parent the time of day” (np). This observation by Ochs supports that the use of technology is causing families to drift apart. Their social lives are being sucked in by the screens laid out in front of them. Not only are they missing out time with their family, they are also lacking communication with people face to face causing them to become shut-ins. This will most likely leave the child into his or her own world in the web where they are not fed with the information of the outside world. As for my own experience, my father and I are always in front of our computers the moment we get home. He case is worse though because he rarely sleeps just to play poker on either his laptop of cellphone. We almost never have time together as family. Being able to sit around and hang out has become impossible because we are so enslaved by our gadgets and so isolated by our own online world. Due to technology becoming a medium, almost everyone has access to it. With its availability, it can wildly affect the millions of users such as Bruce Friedman. Friedman blogs about the use of computer in medicine and he wrote, “I now have almost totally lost the ability to read and absorb a longish article on the web or in print” (np). As mentioned earlier, technology affects both kids and children, altering the way they do things such as reading and thinking. Nowadays, children are doing so many things at once instead of focusing on one thing. It is as if they have prioritized the use of technology over what is really important. Many kids can barely resist taking out their cellphones during any free time given to check for texts messages, calls, or emails. As a major user of a computer myself, I too have experienced how technology alters the way you do things. Back then when I didn’t have a computer nor a phone, I would come home and do my homework right away until it is finished. However, when I got my computer and phone, my daily routine changed drastically. I started to procrastinate and prioritized being in the online world. When it is time to do my work, it is already late at night and I am doing a million things such as playing a game, listening to music and texting along with doing my homework. With the internet being so advanced, everything is there for us and we can find almost any information we need in a matter of seconds just by typing in a few words in the search bar. Although it saves us from hours digging up books at the library and running around in search for necessary information, this efficiency comes with a price. Nicholas Carr, after being enslaved by the use of the web, says, “Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy in a Jet Ski” (np). The web gives us the information we need right then and there with no problem. The certain things are also highlighted for us so the long search is eliminated. Because of this, we do not have to read the