INFLUENCES OF TECHNOLOGY

The Influences of Modern Technology on Society

Emily Kendrick
HSB 4U
Ms. McBride
11/30/2015

INFLUENCES OF TECHNOLOGY

The technological growth happening around the world in the past

decade has grown rapidly and is far from slowing down. Since the time
when the Internet, computer and cellphone have been introduced, it has
changed the dynamic of the world. Although modern technology has
impacted people all over the world and in many different cultures,
developed countries for instance Canada and the United States of
America, are two countries in which technology has influenced social
change. Now with new developments in technology, it has improved the
tasks of everyday duties, but therefore making life fast paced in many
areas.
There is no escape from the influences that technology has on
society, both positive and negative. People from all over the world benefit
from technology; for example, health care and opportunities for online
education. Technology has made life for many people simpler because of
the access to tools like education, transportation, medicine and everyday
products. Technology will constantly shape the world and affect the way
people live. However, abusing the use of technology has a downside as
well. Will people in society continue to invest their time and money into
new developed technology, even when it has negative impacts on lives?
As citizens in society, awareness needs to be made to ensure young
people and future generations do not abuse the power that technology
withholds. Through the examination of the advantages and disadvantages
of technology, namely how it has impacted human communication, has
globalized the world and has been used in medical developments, will
continue to impact society. As such, technology is a tool that can be
beneficial or harmful to society.
To begin, with the rise of social media, it has become common for
people to have cellphones, Facebook, twitter and other social media
cites; therefore it has made communication for many people easier.
Through social media, it has become a way for people to connect and
even start relationships. In a study in 2014, 41% of young aged 18-29
who is in a relationship reported that technology has had a positive affect
on their relationships (Pew Research Center, 2014). Now, there are many
ways to keep in touch with a long-lost friend or family that lives in
another country; geographically separation is not an issue anymore. It is
suggested that relationships are not being replaced by technology but
rather enhanced (Hampton, 2014). As long as people do not abuse the
power of technology in communicating with one another, it has
advantages that will help a relationship flourish. The advancements of
technology have greatly impacted technology in the classroom and the
way that students communicate with their peers and teachers. E-schools
have become popular in many schools through the use of video

conferencing (Harankhedkar, 2011). This gives the opportunity to people

all over the world access to education. Over the years, technology has
become a significant part in the classroom. Now, a lot of resources are
available for students to communicate with their teachers through email
or the schools account for students, for example D2L. One of the most
challenging aspects that has improved due to technology is the ability for
students with disabilities or special needs being able to communicate
INFLUENCES OF TECHNOLOGY 3
with video recognition (Dr. McKnight, 2013). There are many benefits of
having technology in the classroom to enhance the communication for
students and teachers. Another way in which the advantages of
technology can improve communication is the ability to communicate to
the masses. Schools and businesses are two organizations that use
electronic communication like e-mail and e-newsletters. This allows
companies to contact a large group of people in a short period of time
(Fenell, 2014). For businesses, this can help when launching a new
business or introducing a new product. It is evident that communication
has changed due to technology in many positive ways. It is simpler and
more efficient than ever to contact family or friends, whether they live
close by or half way around the world.
Although there are many positive impacts that technology has on
communication, there are also many negative aspects of it as well. There
has been a lose of face-to-face interaction because it has become much
easier and more convenient to call, text or send pictures to other people.
According to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Associations
(CWTA), it was reported that in 2015 there were 29,062,796 wireless
phone subscribers in Canada (CWTA, 2015). This has rapidly grown since
2000, when there were only 2,671,430 wireless phone subscribers
(CWTA, 2015). Reflecting on the past decade, it is apparent that the art of
conversation has been lost through the use of cellphones and social
media. This will have many negative impacts on future generations in
they way that they present themselves in interviews for jobs or
communicating in serious relationships. This will affect the kind of
relationships people possess because in a Wall Journal report, it
concluded that too many people spend time maintaining online
connections rather than spending time on deeper relationships (Is
Technology Making People Less Sociable, 2015). Now, people are
concentrating on how many friends they have on Facebook rather than
the important relationships that they have with family and close friends.
While the invention of Facebook has influenced the world in many
positive ways, users have abused the meaning of Facebook. In a survey
of American adults, it was found that 71% of the populations have a
Facebook account and 45% of these users check it several times a day (Is

Technology Making People Less Sociable, 2015). There is also another

negative aspect of cellphones and social media, it makes people
available around the clock, so there is a loss of downtime at home when
people come home from work. There needs to be a boundary set so that
there can be a reduction of stress and more relaxation in life. Therefore,
there are advantages of using technology as a tool for communication,
but if not used properly it will degrade the importance of face-to-face
contact and thriving deeper relationships.
Globalization has altered the way the world operates through the
use of technology. The boundaries that once separated the world are
diminished. Globalization has influenced all aspects of life, for example in
business,
economy,
government
and
socially.
Technological
advancements have made markets more
INFLUENCES OF TECHNOLOGY 4
efficient in the way that products are produced and distributed. Since the
time that globalization has become apart of society, it has affected the
world economy in many ways. Equilibrium between the prices that buyers
are willing to pay for a product and what companies are willing to sell the
goods for has changed the way products are being made (Rao, 2013).
With better transportation through airplanes and ships, it has made
buying from overseas much more efficient and not as costly. Along with
that, more companies are deciding to have products made overseas
because it costs less. Thus providing wealth for developing countries and
supplying jobs for people that do not have stable jobs. One method that
is used to integrate suppliers, retailers and customers is supplied
chaining (Lawlor, 2007). For example, Wal-Mart uses this method so that
when a customer buys an item it sends a signal to the company that is
supplying the product. Once the supplier receives the signal, the product
is packed and shipped to the store location. This technology has made it
easier and more efficient for companies like Wall-Mart because the
company does not have to contact the supplier to ship products or touch
the product until it is shipped to the store. Another way that technology
has globalized the world is the invention of the World Wide Web. Since
the time that the World Wide Web was created, it has drawn the world
closer together by making information accessible all over the world.
Information sharing through various cultures through social media has
made people from different cultures understand and be aware of the
events happening around the world. The connection that the Web has
made between linking the Internet and the computer has dramatically
improved the process of information sharing. In a matter of five years
after the invention of the World Wide Web, internet users grew from
600,000 to 40 million (Lawlor, 2007). Without the technological

advancements of the Internet and the Web, the world would not be as
integrated as it is today. Technology has become the force of
globalization, which is inevitably making the world a smaller place.
Globalization is not going away, it will forever affect the way of living
through the impacts that it has on businesses, the economy and social
interactions.
Globalization has played an important part in the world, which has
many positive aspects for countries, but it can also have disadvantages
to it as well. Many companies take advantage of the destruction of local
industries so that the companies can save money. As technology has
spread to developing countries in lure of producing goods for low costs, it
has negatively affected workers in Canada and the United States of
America. According to Statistics Canada, 322,000 manufacturing jobs
were lost between 2004 and 2008 in Canada (Sakir, 2015). Globalization
has brought benefits to the global economy but has decreased
employment in a local context. The impacts that technology on
globalization has been important in many features in developing
countries but has had negative implications on jobs in Canada. One
important detail of the use of technology in globalization is through social
media, but it can also be a tool for the spread of fear and hatred. The
current events that have been happening in the world lately have drawn
people from all over the world into a state of fear because of
INFLUENCES OF TECHNOLOGY 5
the fact that the world is becoming so interconnected. Through the use of
social media to communicate, a new kind of terrorism has risen through
the use of posting videos, pictures and statements on websites. ISIS
continues to use this method of spreading propaganda because of the
effectiveness that it has on society (Irshaid, 2014). Events happening are
instantaneously known by people all over the world, making tragic events
like the Paris attacks are much more real, because it affected not only the
people living in Paris but the entire world. As the world continues to
become even more integrated, events happening around the world will
affect the citizens of Canada more. People need to be aware of the
negative influences that can come with having access to information at a
rapid rate. Even though, the Internet can be a useful device to
communicate with people from different backgrounds and cultures, it
may cause a disparity in the separation of culturally diverse countries.
While many cultures value their beliefs and traditions social media
connects people from all over the world, no matter what their culture is.
This connection influences intercultural adaptation and the exchange of
ideas and cultural differences (Sawyer, 2011). Although this can be a
positive point for many people as it broadens their cultural experiences, it

can lead to a loss of traditions and beliefs in some cultures. Altogether,

the negative implications that technology has on the growing affects of
globalization are minimal to the advantages that globalization has on the
world. The spread of ideas and ability to communicate have brought the
world even more interconnected, which will continue to benefit the world
in the future.
The influence that technology has had on the advancements in the
medical field has by far been the greatest impacts on society. With the
ability to research new ways to treat illnesses it has made medical
discoveries happen much more rapidly in the past decade than ever
before. This will affect the way medicine is perceived in the future and
how dramatically it is going to change. Monitoring systems, medical
check ups at home and medical robots are all newly developing
technology that will help improve the quality of life for people will
illnesses (Advances in Medical Technology, 2009). Many opportunities will
come in the future with developments of medical technology. It is
constantly being made and revised so that people are receiving the best
care possible to sustain their lives.
As medicine becomes more
accessible to people all over the world, it has created an increase in the
human life span. For Americans living in the early 1900s, the average
age was sixty years old. In 2005 it rose to seventy-four and it is expected
to be eighty years old in 2050 (Lauren Cox, 2009). The improvements in
human health for instance immunizations to stop the spread of diseases
have improved the health for people all over the world. The most
dramatic gains for life expectancy happened in East Asia, where the
average age was forty-five in 1950 where as now it is seventy-four
(United Nations, 2011). The most important advantage of technological
advancements in the medical field is the ability to save lives with the
development of new drugs and equipment and to improve the patients
care. Research is constantly being done to cure diseases, develop
medicines and to create new methods of surgery so that it is minimally
invasive. From stem cell research that
INFLUENCES OF TECHNOLOGY 6
could potentially cure diseases to bionic limbs, these inventions have
improved the quality of life for many people struggling with illnesses. The
new technological developments with targeting cancer therapies work to
block cells that are contributing to tumor growth and sometimes these
drugs will kill the deadly cancer cells (Medical Advancements in the Last
Decade, 2013). It is evident that the technology breakthroughs in
medicine in the past decade have improved the lives on many across the
globe. It continues to be an important aspect in society so that each
person can live a healthy life.

As there are numerous advantages to the advancements in medical

technology, there are also key negative impacts of this new technology.
The high costs of medications that some people have to pay out of pocket
are astronomical. Although these newly developed drugs are helping treat
fatal diseases, the price tags to the medications and operations can
sometimes out of reach. Due to medical technology, the costs of
medications are now increasing 7% a year (Carly Weeks, 2015). Drugs that
are not prescribed as often as other drugs often would increasingly raise
the price. One example of this happened when pills that were eight
hundred dollars for one hundred tablets increased the price to eleven
thousand dollars for one hundred tablets (Carly Weeks, 2015). This
relatively never happens but it is seen to happen much more often now
than ever. Companies are caught jacking up the price so it will generate
more money for the developers of the drugs without the consideration of
how it is affecting the patient. Along with the increasing prices of
procedures and medications, there is also the fact that the complexity of
medical technology can create risks when treating a patient. The
introduction to complex equipment because of the rapid developments has
made it more difficult for the nurses and doctors to operate in an efficient
way. In one study, 323 registered nurses were surveyed to determine how
they learned to operate the new devices used in the hospital. The outcome
reveled that almost 90% self-taught themselves by reading the instruction
manual (World Health Organization, 2010). The risk of human errors or
mechanical faults due to the lack of knowledge to operate such equipment
predominately shows that the complexity of medical technology can put
the patient at risk. Although there are countless more advantages to the
emerging medical technology that are far more important, there needs to
also be an awareness of the negative aspects that could affect more and
more people.
In conclusion, it is apparent that technology has greatly impacted
modern society in the past decade in Canada and around the world. Since
there are advantages and disadvantages of technology in the way that it
has impacted communication, rapidly globalized the world and has shaped
medical advancements; it can be used as a tool that if utilized properly can
benefit many lives. Technology will continue to be apart of the world as it
strives to improve lives and the quality of life. Before technology,
everything had to be hand made, there were no machines to produce
goods. Huge advancements in the invention of automobiles have shaped
the way that transportation. This is just another example of the influences
that technology has on society. With new technology emerging in
manufacturing and businesses, the ability for products to assist in
everyday tasks and missions will increasing become easier for many
people. If not used wisely, technology may inevitably weaken the human
race and destroy values concerning social interactions because the loss of
face-to-face interaction may be replaced. As a society, there needs to be

an increase of awareness of the proper use of technology, so that for

future generations technology will be a useful tool. It is clear that
technology will constantly affect society, for the better or for the worse.
Word Count: 2846

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