M3A4 Reflection Blog

 

This week's content really hit home for me in many ways. First, many people could not survive without technology and the internet, which has been a worry I have had for some time. I have often wondered what my son would do if he lost access to his quick information. Have I raised him well enough in a world with all this ever-advancing technology to manage without and return to a grassroots" style of living? Then I read the statistic that "five to ten percent of users cannot control the time they spend on the internet." (TED-Ed - https://ed.ted.com/featured/qQzsdX2Y). Which only further reinforced my concern. However, is it not up to us as the keepers of this generation to pass down those skills to our children or younger generations.   We can pull ourselves away from being "plugged in" long enough to ensure these things are not lost. And they will have to do the same for the next generations as technology advances and the way things are done may, in fact, change again. Is it not a self-generating cycle in which new knowledge comes as innovations continue?

Second, the science behind the algorithms is built to give us what we need when we need it, and it creates dopamine addiction to those little likes. Comments reinforce even further, and this means we would rather interact online where the likelihood of us receiving positive feedback in this manner is more significant than if we have face-to-face conversations.   Yet, Ted talks and online videos are growing in popularity because we need to have a desire to see those nonverbal cues we are missing in print. The expression on a person's face, mannerisms, and even hearing tone provide the text we desire.   It also provides us with a desire to learn in many ways and to see the good others are doing. Things we might miss if we didn't have access to technological advances.

So, is the increasing use of technology good or bad? Honestly, it is up to the person. Can you regulate yourself? There are ways to block out distractions; devices have power buttons. However, technology has its place in our lives and world, and we must use technology to grow and progress further; we cannot remain stagnant. Technology isn't nefarious in and of itself; how we engage with technology is ultimately up to us.