The Effect of Extreme Dependency on Computers

Extreme Dependency on Technology Technology, good or bad? Some say it’s great, but that is said by drug users about illegal substances as well. They are essentially one in the same; once you have used them and they become part of your life, you are never the same again. Once you have researched via computer, or found your way to an unfamiliar area with a gps, doing it the old way is never as easy or as foolproof as it once was. These days, when you loose your phone or even have little reception, you worry; your pulse races, your palms sweat, and you perspire.

This is not good. Something that used to make our lives easier now makes our lives harder. Most of us don’t even know how to use a map or to mail a letter anymore. The library, what’s that? If you go to a library, it’s probably to use the internet, not to read a book. The computer is a wonderful invention if you like moving fast. We can do everything a computer can, except it takes us much longer. Wall Street is a big blue and green blur of humming computers and screens, it almost seems to have a life of its own, it’s like an urban jungle.

If that system crashes, our economy falls to the ground in flames as well. Books are written in months instead of years. School becomes a mad thrash to get everything typed, created, or turned in on time. What happened to good old paper and calculators? Calculators are a hot issue in my opinion. While they are wonderful little contraptions, our dependency on calculators is worrying. When I walk through that door into the calc room, my grade rests in the hands of a small shiny piece of blue plastic dotted with smooth yellow buttons and stuffed with four triple-A batteries.

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Compare me to a crack addict, honestly; without my Texas instruments calculator I’m as good as dead. Gps’s are amazing little gadgets. About the size of a slice of bread, they help you find your way like a personal tour guide perched on your dashboard. Maps might as well be carved in stone; they’re old news. Does a map tell you where the nearest taco bell is? Does it recalculate when you miss a turn? Unfortunately, no -- Gps’s are a godsend for the directionally challenged. The subtle, warm feeling of accomplishment you get when you find your way around with a crumpled up paper map is likely gone for good, it’s a shame.

Survival of the fittest, I guess. But when you run out of batteries, or your gps breaks; good luck finding your way. They are as addicting as anything else humankind has created. As I was browsing for a topic for my illustrative essay, something funny happened. I clicked my merry little way to Google. And within minutes, I had a topic, quite ironically, about dependency on computers. My initial thought on what to write about did not come about by careful thought and planning, it came about through Google and my horrid dependency on computers.

Dependency on computers is unavoidable, unless you are Amish or a member of a tribe deep within the jungle. Computers have allowed us the monumental achievement of space travel, the wonder of deep sea submersibles, and the deadliness of heat seeking missiles. No doubt, great achievements not possible without computers. But for everyday activities like finding your way, doing mental math, or writing a paper, computers are a shortcut, they make life easier. We need to learn to do things with and without a computer. For example, I know many people who cannot do mental math to save their lives.

At this point, technology is really part of us. Instead of having that knowledge of simple math to rely on, we build upon the base that calculators provide instead. More advanced math is not possible without that technology, though honestly we should be able to do it either way. Through this it’s much easier to screw things up; once you have become used to listening to music anywhere, anytime, through your ipod, it’s a downer to not have music. If your ipod breaks, it’s almost like quitting smoking. You MUST buy a new one, you can’t just stop listening.

Cell phones are an utmost convenience. Nary a child or senior citizen lacks one, and they do everything from email to texting to taking pictures. How long until they come equipped with electric toothbrushes? If you’ve ever been in an accident or had car trouble, that cell phone is your lifeline, and there is no alternative. You cannot mail someone; and pay phones are nearly nonexistent. Without your phone, you get the jitters, you feel unsafe, and out of it. It happens to me on those days where I forget and leave it at home – I know 95% of the population is the same way.

So obviously technology had done much good. Our quality of living has gone up substantially. But at the same time being perched up her in this greatly advanced society, on top of stacks of microchips and USB ports, it’s a lot easier to lose our footing and tumble back to earth. At some point, the infrastructure will crumble; everything needs an overhaul sooner or later. We would live in much more stable times if it were not for computers. On the same note, we would live in a much slower, less equipped world. Is his a good trade off? It depends on your outlook and opinion. There is no doubt technology can crash and burn, and there is no doubt that technology has simplified out lives. Hopefully we can stabilize it before something drastic happens and we are left moving at 1889 speed. Thus technology has made it a whole lot easier to do most things – and much easier to mess them up – a double-edged sword| Computer addiction is a mental illness which causes the excessive use of computers to the extent that it interferes with daily life.

Excessive use may explain problems in social interaction, mood, personality, work ethic, relationships, thought processes, or sleep deprivation. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not include a diagnosis for such a disease. The term ? computer addiction? originated long before the Internet. Some people develop bad habits in their computer use that cause them significant problems in their lives. The types of behavior and negative consequences are similar to those of known addictive disorders.

Contents  [hide]  * 1 Effects * 2 Origin of the term * 3 History * 4 See also * 5 References| ------------------------------------------------- [edit]Effects Excessive computer use may result in, or occur with: * Lack of social interaction. * Using the computer for pleasure, gratification, or relief from stress. * Feeling irritable and out of control or depressed when not using it. * Spending increasing amounts of time and money on hardware, software, magazines, and computer-related activities. Neglecting work, school, or family obligations. * Lying about the amount of time spent on computer activities. * Risking loss of career goals, educational objectives, and personal relationships. * Failing at repeated efforts to control computer use. * Never getting off the computer. A cause for many of the above-mentioned effects may be that computer games do not stimulate the release of neurotransmitters responsible for feelings of satisfaction and relaxation, such as oxytocin and endorphin, in the same way that real world activities do.

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