Our Reliance on Technology Has Consequences
Oh no, the pedometer on my phone isn’t working! How am I going to know if I’ve reached the required number? That’s when the Dylan lyric, which I consider one of the greatest lines ever written, flashed through my mind: You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.
Just as I don’t need some digital application to tell me that my strength, stability, and vitality are increasing (as is the workload and duration my broken foot can withstand).
It seems to me that in our pursuit of convenience, we’ve been a little too lax about relinquishing our skills, tasks, abilities, and knowledge, and then before you know it, we no longer possess those abilities or that knowledge—the old, use it or lose it.
I was already thinking along these lines when an error with the health-monitoring application occurred. As the day progressed, there were other blips with the phone, so I drove to the phone store where the young man behind the counter informed me that my device was dying and it was time to get a new one.
When he said it would take three hours for the data to transfer and that I would be without service for that long, I asked him if I could use his phone to alert my wife and let her know I couldn’t be reached. He was reluctant to hand it over to me but offered to punch in the numbers himself.
Do you know her number, he asked, and before I could say anything, he added, you’d be surprised how many people don’t.
I get it.
We have enough numbers and passwords and dates and commitments to keep track of without having to memorize phone numbers when you can simply tap on a name from a list of contacts and tap again to call, text, or email that person. I find it disturbing to see friends and others acting like it’s beyond our human capabilities to remember all manner of things that we used to be able to recall with no problem. And I’m not talking about age-related memory loss.
I know people who’ve seemingly lost the ability to grab onto and express what’s in their heart. Instead, they choose from a gallery of emojis to convey their message, but it’s not nearly as clear or as impactful as words. Others turn to artificial intelligence to help them say what they’re trying to say for some work assignment until eventually, they can’t figure it out without the assistance of the digital application.
Maybe they’re just trying to save time or conserve energy or be more efficient, but it appears to me to be a crutch. While crutches can help provide support and increase mobility for people with injuries, they also contribute to muscle atrophy.
That’s the concern here—the degree to which our reliance on technology contributes to the decline of human faculties or abilities.
I’m reminded of the time we were in the studio with a legendary record producer. While listening back in the control room, one of the guys noticed that the signal level on the meter was spiking in the red, and he asked if that would cause distortion. The producer said, Does it sound distorted to you? It didn’t, and the producer remarked, So, what are you going to believe, your ears or that red light?
My concern is not whether kids or young adults are unable to confidently decipher the position of hands on a non-digital clock or whether their reliance on Velcro and slip-ons has rendered them incapable of tying their shoes or any other number of lost or diminishing skills that may no longer be necessary for getting along just fine in the world.
But rather, what the consequences might be in the face of increasing automation and artificial reality, a willingness to sacrifice brainpower, self-awareness, and the preciousness of our own humanity.
As technology continues to advance and becomes more integrated into our daily lives, it’s crucial to reflect on the impact it has on our abilities, both physically and mentally. While convenience and efficiency may seem appealing, we must be mindful of the potential consequences of relying too heavily on technology.
Whether it’s relying on fitness apps to measure our progress or using digital assistants to compose our thoughts, we run the risk of losing essential skills and knowledge that were once second nature to us. From memorizing phone numbers to expressing our emotions without relying on emojis, we must question if our growing dependence on technology is eroding our human faculties.
As the world embraces automation and artificial reality, we must consider the trade-offs. Are we sacrificing our brainpower and self-awareness in exchange for convenience and efficiency? While technology can undoubtedly enhance our lives and make tasks easier, it’s essential to strike a balance and ensure we don’t become overly reliant on these tools.
The consequences of our reliance on technology extend beyond losing the ability to tie our shoes or read an analog clock. We risk compromising our own humanity and the very essence of what makes us unique. The path forward lies in recognizing the potential consequences and finding ways to strike a balance between embracing technology and preserving our human faculties.
Let’s remember that technology is a tool, not a replacement for our own intellect and capabilities. By being mindful of the potential consequences and the diminishing of essential skills, we can ensure that our reliance on technology does not come at the expense of our humanity.
