Technology: Good or Bad?

I was driving the other day and almost got side-swiped on the highway from someone who was talking and laughing on the cell phone and it started me down this path of consideration. Is technology beneficial or the downfall of production in society…or both? For anyone curious, I did NOT flip the other driver off. However, I did seriously consider it:-)

A short decade ago, I got my first pc and cell phone. Now, I am on my laptop for ten hours a day and don’t even use a home phone anymore. With the technological advances we as a society have improved communications and can work, shop or do just about anything over the internet. All are great advantages to the individual and hopefully to society as a whole.

But at what cost? Gone are the days of writing a letter. No longer can the recipient of your note see the emotion of your personal script across the paper. As too are the days of daydreaming. I remember being a kid and NOT having a tv on or computer games. It was great just dreaming up ideas in the solitude of my thoughts. What are children doing today? While playing WII or texting hundreds of times a day, are they considering what they want to be when they grow up? Are they dreaming of an idea that will change the world or just filling time? I am not saying all these electronic devices don’t have a place but so too should the development of ones own ideas and dreams. As my parents would say when I was doing any one thing in excess… everything in moderation.

Here’s a serious question for anyone who has internet access at work. Now that I don’t work in the corporate world, I can acknowledge I know it was being done…excessively by some. It was one of my biggest pet peeves. How many hours a day do you surf the web? Be honest, no one is going to know the answer but you so be honest with yourself. How is that impacting the production of your job duties? Say for an example, you work 8 hours a day. For an hour and a half a day you surf the internet not relating to your job. That’s nearly one day a week, or a whole week (taking out vacations) being non-productive while you are at work. Doesn’t sound like much? How many people are in your company? 50? 5000? If everyone surfs the internet like that, who can complain when their company has layoffs. Employers cut costs to make up for lost production or sales and go overseas to get cheaper employees or manufacturing. It is a vicious cycle that we as individuals have more control over than most would want to admit. It’s easier to blame someone else than to do the right thing.

I know, I know.. just Steve ranting again but isn’t that what blogging is all about? Thank you Al Gore for giving us the internet:-)