People's Overreliance on Technology (Essay Sample)

People’s Overreliance on Technology
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People’s Overreliance on Technology
What is your topic?
People’s overreliance on technology
What are the possibly different main claims/positions related to this topic
Some people would agree with the statement that “people are overreliant on technology” while others would argue against the statement. It is true that technology has made life easier for numerous people, as well as, raising their living standards. Technology has as wel led to improvement of tools, machines, as well as, processes that helps in solving peoples’ problems. In today’s word, it is possible for an individual to possess a mobile phone with internet access features, as well as, capabilities to take pictures and videos, all courtesy of technology. It is now possible to access any information from the internet by click of a button, all because of technology. Almost all home chores, for example, washing of clothes and dirty carpets can now be carried out easily by use of washing machines courtesy of technology. Companies have as well automated almost all of their operations thus enhancing efficiency because of technology advancement. The world has become a global village, whereby communication and transportation of goods and services is now faster and less costly all facilitated by technology. However, overreliant on technology is a reality and there would be severe consequences if technology would fail today.
What is your position regarding the topic?
My position is that people are over-reliant on technology. The modern world overdepends on technology in many ways. If technology would break down for a single second, the entire world would be at a standstill. An example is electricity breakdown, which would result to operations in companies, education institutions, as well as, health institutions coming to a hault. If there is not over-reliance on technology such a breakdown would not affect the world because of availability of backup options. Many businesses rely on technology in doing everything from accounting to maintaining workforce data. If computers used in performing these tasks would become malfunctional, the operations would come to a hault and businesses would start counting losses. This would not only affect the businesses, but everyone including consumers since nothing would be done without computers. If there is no over-reliance on technology businesses would shift operations to manual working without any problems arising.
What “evidence” have you offered to support your claim/position?
In hospitals, for example, overdependence on technology is a reality. Systems breakdown would cause huge losses if there are no sufficient backup systems put in place. Failure of hospital equipment without effective backup measures would result to loss of lives, as well as other severe losses. In hospitals, there is also overconfidence in accuracy of data obtained from machines. It is normal for a machine to develop technical problems thus giving wrong readiings. This could as well result to loss of lives all because of overreliance of technology. Additionally, numerous clinicians cannot perform effectively in absence of computerized systems. With overdependence on technology being a reality in hospitals, we risk high magnitude losses occuring in case there is technology failure (Sittig, 2011).
Another example to explain overrelince on technology are losses incurred in the financial markets when technology fails. It is true that technology has enhanced efficiency in the financial markets significantly. In today’s world, an investor can purchase or sell stock anywhere with a click of a button. However, because of overreliance on technology in every single activity carried out in the financial markets, failure in technology would result to massive losses. For example, in april 2012 closure of London Stock Exchange for about eight hours, because of technological failure that affeceted their system, resulted to massive losses in the stock exchange.
One of the key reasons why people have become overreliant on technology is for convinience. People have resorted to using technology in performing even simple tasks, for example, paying bills. If this would be done in person, it would take a lot of time thus people resorting to performing it through internet. Another key reason for overreliance on technology is to cut down cost of doing things. People and businesses have benefited a lot from technology, in terms of enhancing efficiency in doin things. Companies have automated their operations to cut down the cost of doing businesses, as well as, surviving stiff competition. However, this is overdependence on technology. If technology would fail for minimal period of time, most of businesses would be compelled to close down their operations.
5. Put your claim/position and “evidence” through the “Scientific Method” and “Proving a theory” steps. Are there steps on which your position, as well as, evidence does not measure up to the examination? If that is the case, what can you do to make them more acceptable?
To look at it at a theoretical angle, it would be prudent to introduce two technologial theories including deterministic approach theory and social construction of technology theory. According to the theory of technological determinism, introduction of technology in any organization transforms people, as well as, their social interation. On the other hand, social construction of technology theory states that, it is not technology that shape people, but the opposite. According to the theory, the social context within an organization, in which technology is introduced, determines its creation. Additionally, the social context influences how technology diffuses within the organization (Morgan, 2012).
Although the two theories differ in explaining what between the social context and technology shapes the other, they shows that there develops a degree of dependency as long as individuals enjoys some benefits from the new technnology, which were not present in the old system. The reliance is inevitable and crucial if individuals have to benefit fully from the new technology. The problem arises when individuals stop using technology as flexible tools meant to make work easier and start overdepending on it without being skeptical (Morgan, 2012).
Who is your intended audience?
My intended audience is not only my instructor, but also my follow students. I will post the research paper on my blog so that my friends and everybody else with access to the social media may read my opinion on this topic.
What is your purpose? What do you want the audience to do, to feel, or to think
I would like my audience to think critically about this topic and give their opinions through comments. By reading this essay, the audience would be skeptical. People would realize how the topic is critical to their lives. They would recognize that overreliance on technology is a reality in the world, and the implications of technology failure to people. The audience would think and try to identify possible alternatives incase technology fails.
What words or phrases have you included in your statement to cause your audience to do, feel, or think the way you want them to do, feel, or think?
If world technology would fail tommorrow, how many people would survive without it, how many people would travel to their workplaces without electric trains in operation; how would people keep warm without elecricity; and how would people cook without technology. All these show how the world has become overreliant on technology. It would be rational if some of the energy used in advancing technology is used to come up with alternative ways of carrying out some activities manually. This would help people a lot if technology fails. It would also make people more creative.
How can your position better meet the needs of your audience than other possible positions?
It is true that some individuals would disagree with my opinion that peo...