There existed no civilization ever which didn’t have any direct technological effects on society – the one that was prevalent in its time. For societies to evolve, technological innovation is necessary. In this article, we are analyzing the effects of technology on society, keeping in mind, modern technology.
Today’s technology is a great boon to mankind. Starting from industries, to daily life, the importance of technology in society can’t be doubted, even for a second. Modern technology has been majorly beneficial to us, and there are hardly any societal problems that technology cannot solve nowadays. So, it’s not just about technological effects on society but also a niche where today’s technology and society are complementary to each other.
While there are positive effects of technology on society, there are also some negative impacts. Some of the positive impacts and subsequently, the importance of technology in society can be roughly listed as follows:
1. Introduction of machines in agriculture
Modern technology has given birth to the mechanization of agriculture which is one of the biggest technological effects on society. This means that ancient farming methods have been replaced with automated machinery that is far more efficient in farming, both in terms of quality and quantity.
2. Improvement in the transportation sector
Since the skeleton of any society is mainly its infrastructure, feasibility in terms of mobility is an important area. Today’s technology has made transportation easier and quick, with a lot of options as well, like, Uber or Grab.
3. Easier Communication
In today’s time, people need to remain connected to each other. With modern technology in applications like Skype, Facebook, or WhatsApp, everyone is just a click away, to stay in touch in a globalized world.
4. Improvement in education and learning processes
In the modern world, with lots of challenges in various sectors, learning stuff virtually is a boon as well. This is one of the most crucial importance of technology in society. With Google search or other educational applications, it is possible to keep up with new learnings. We all realized the important effects of technology on society when we were quarantined and were surfing e-books or attending online seminars, amidst a global pandemic!
Technological effects on society are numerous. On one hand, it’s beneficial, but we should also be aware that there are certain negative impacts of today’s technology! They are,
5. Depleting resources
With the increased use of modern technology, natural resources are fast depleting, causing a serious threat to upcoming generations.
6. Population boom and health issues
Despite the fact that contraceptives have been long invented, with an increase in today’s technology, the global population has exploded with the help of scientific effects of technology on society, resulting in longer life spans and effective reproduction. Though many unheard-of illnesses had been cured with the help of modern technology, misusing it can surely cause serious life hazards.
7. Increasing pollution
Getting too swayed away, discussing all the technological effects on society, we tend to forget that depleting resources impacts directly with an increase in pollution levels. This is, on the other hand, one of the most dangerous negative effects of technology on society, which can contribute towards climate change and global warming.
To discuss the importance of technology in society, we also have to have a fair idea of how today’s technology changed our lives in different ways.
- Lifestyle – convenience is the mantra as far as technological effects on society are concerned.
- Privacy – digital privacy in a digital world, where people can monitor their private spaces with a click of a button.
- Health – improved health systems with proper infrastructure and automated gadgets using modern technology
- Attitude and behaviour of youth – most impacted with almost everything possible in their immediate reach, enriching better work experience and management of critical tasks.
The importance of technology in society is many-fold and has a huge impact on us. However, if handled irresponsibly, it has the potential to cause devastating technological effects on society, totally in contrast to what it should ideally cause – convenience and happiness!
