It has become too easy for news media, financial statistical trackers, advertiser’s and experts in their chosen professions to give us detailed, micro managed information at an incredible pace in which we really have no tools or experience to manage in relation to our lives.
In my humble opinion too rapid as it leaves no room to debate and no room for enjoyment. No sooner do we grasp one idea and the movers and shakers set out another 10 which are quickly discussed, refuted and counteract the one we have just spent time considering.
The real problem lies in the fact that these ideas shape the very foundation of our existence and most of us cannot keep up. Today caffeine is good, tomorrow it causes cancer. Eggs are good for you one day and now they cause high cholesterol. Smoking was cool now it is taboo.
Bottled water in yet a mere 5 years later, the goal now is to ban it. This leads me to the idea that high emotional I.Q. today is really about those who can adjust to the rapid changes of information in the market place and not what is scored on a test.
Toys are no exception to this rule either. No sooner does one electronic gadget come into the market, and we are flooded with new technological toys. We’ve experienced 8 track to cassette to records to CD’s and now the IPOD- all the money in which we invest to form collections, quickly disappears with the rapid changes in technology – you no longer can see where you invested your hard earned dollars and that was all in less than thirty years. There goes your hard, earned money but more importantly, it is impossible to keep up.
VHS – DVD’s – Blue Ray – each needing new machines, and the equipment you own has not even begun to wear out. Computers, televisions, automobiles, the impact is financially devastating to each of us. Credit cards maxed out, savings lost through the stock market, house foreclosures, and job elimination is where we end up. This is the reality of technology and its effect on life. You can see the challenge and this is what we each must now examine for our self.
It begs the question of, What is quality of life? What is it we really want? What is it that will make us happy? What is it we really need for our families, relationships, spouses, or jobs?
We know we are not fairing so well when the divorce rate is now between 40-50% and our alcoholism, gambling, and drug stats are not that much better. By taking the time to answer these important life questions, we may start to lift the weight of stress and depression resting on most of our shoulders.
So is technology a hindrance to growth or does it push us to become more by offering us more? This is not an easy question because in many cases Technology has become a trade off for other areas. Technology has made writing essays, homework assignments, magazine articles, books, business reports, sales presentation all much easier to accomplish. Rules of editing, grammar, spelling, and punctuation can easily be repaired by any software program and publishing and spreading information, whether good or bad, is quick today due to the internet.
We can all look like geniuses by the stroke of a key on our keyboards. We appear to all be in an equal playing field, if we choose to utilize the tools. The flip side to this is don’t we need to understand the basics of grammar, style, editing in order to deliver our best works? Don’t we need to know the fundamentals of math and science to become great Doctors and Scientists?
Isn’t it important for our Brain to strengthen through education, practice, trial and error? Don’t short cuts lead to poor quality of workmanship? Doesn’t cheap labor produce cheap products, which don’t even last a year before they disappear from your environment? Are you not tired of the overselling of ad campaigns that promise you a lot but delivers little? Take this and you will look 20 years younger.
We can say technology provides us from a relief of physical strains. We no longer tend to the fields with horse and plough. We no longer have to hang our wash out to dry. We no longer have to wash the dishes. Ah yes, life does seem simpler doesn’t it? Or does it?
Isn’t our food being made in China? Is this good? Aren’t we all becoming overweight due to lack of physical activity? Is this good? Can we financially afford to put one more piece of technology on our credit card? Do these “things” increase our life span? Do we have too much time on our hands to play computer games, chat in chat rooms, watch reality shows, or, do we have none as we are working too hard to pay for all these toys? Do we even have time to think or have we become robotic in our tasks?
Even the skill for developing the mental capacity to process (the brain) massive amounts of information is not required as we have technological tools to rely on for memory, mathematical equations, and with the internet, information is readily at our fingertips so we no longer even have to rely on our memory.
Difficult trade-offs, and much due to the real question of – to the moon or not to the moon! So you can see answering the question is technology good for our growth is a difficult one indeed.
I believe technology can be good for growth when we incorporate, strong physical, mental, family, relationship, and most importantly, financial goals in our life utilizing the tools of technology as a mechanism of assisting us in a more peaceful balance.
If we learn to understand technology is just a means for making life simpler then we can choose, by not only reflecting back and in the present, but also reflecting on the future, protecting us from falling into the trap of following the trends. Allowing us to orchestrate the color of our canvas as to what we choose it to be.
With a clear focus on health, wellness, spirituality, nutrition, listening to our own inner cues, we stand a better chance of longevity. With a clear focus on our professional career we can focus our finances towards the development of skills which will enhance our earning potential. With a clear focus on family and relationships we will get an understanding of their needs and wants which we can work into our time restraints and financial budgets.
Divorce is expensive. Weight loss programs are expensive. Gambling and alcohol addictions are expensive. Replacing a car every four years is expensive. Keeping up with the latest computer gadgets and software programs is expensive.
When we take the time to reflect on our growth, we get a clearer understanding of what our real needs are and thus can prevent some costly errors. So, in the end, technology doesn’t hurt growth, but without a plan and a clear understanding of ourselves, it sure hinders it!
