Technology plays a substantial role in my life, it has brought me into this life and I know it has helped transform it to this point and will continue to till I die. Technology influences our lives immensely and we don’t even realize it because technology has become such a normality to us. We are influenced specifically by it because it controls us physically, mentally, and emotionally. The internet for example has created another world where we put ourselves out there for others to see, say, and do things. In addition, we now have technology that is taking the place of people’s jobs and it will only continue to rise. Technology is so abundant and resourceful that it directly affects our everyday lives. And whether we as humans accept it, technology has revolutionized the way we as humans operate, including, our communication, transportation, our access to information, entertainment, etc. 

Additionaly, technology plain and simple makes our lives much easier. It lets us communicate anywhere across the world instantly, quickly access any information, and so much more. Ultimately it has simplified our daily tasks to make our days more efficient and give us more time. Technology surrounds us, it comes in every shape and form and constructs our lives every day that we even forget that we are using it because it truly is a part of us and as it has evolved so have we with it. It has even evolved so much to the point where us humans are losing jobs because of it, it’s scary to think about but is unfortunately the reality and the duty of technology to complete tasks more efficiently than humans.

My everyday life is affected by technology and in my experiences I have seen technology do amazing things and I have seen it do the opposite. The internet is an extraordinary thing where you can access any kind of information and have access to social media apps with just a few buttons. And just by being in high school, I have seen it change people’s lives for better and for worse. The internet creates unwanted exposure, and you would imagine being in high school it can make kids lives extremely vulnerable. Unfortunately, I have seen it be used for that exact purpose in attempt to expose or bully that person. However, on the bright side, the internet helps us connect to people all over the world, share knowledge and ideas, make information more accessible, and ultimately grow societies all around the world and even bring them together. For example, societies have helped raise money and awareness for, hurricane reliefs, foundations for those who are less fortunate, etc. So yes I have seen the internet and technology do some bad but ultimately I have seen it do unimaginably good things as well.

But with all the advances in technology, it brings the question of how it has affected me and my generation. Have our social skills been affected? Are we less physically active? Seeing as I am 18 years old I can personally say that I have been affected by technology in those exact ways and I have also seen it happen to others. This is why I feel technology can negatively affect us just as easily as it can help us. I find it essential that we as a society need to take breaks from our phones, TVs, and computers, and just experience life, go outside, and do anything to get away from behind the screen. Because the reality technology consumes us and we need to enjoy life without sometimes. We alsohave the power to avoid technology so we should use it.

What we have also yet to realize and is unfathomable is that we aren’t even close to seeing its full potential and what it will do to us as a society, Who knows what it will bring next? But so far for me, it has unintentionally been beneficial to my growth and made my life easier and unfortunately has been a contribution to my physical, behavioral, and mental health. This being said I think we must continue to grow with technology but also stay strong no matter what through thick and thin, and be more powerful than technology because you should always put yourself before technology.

2nd Rough Draft

Since the innovation of the smartphone, and the wheel,  technology has intertwined with our everyday lives. It evolves every single day and we evolve alongside it too. Technology simplifies our lives by completing tasks more effectively and efficiently no matter how big or how small. We are extremely dependent on these technologies as it has become a necessity and normality in all of our lives. My relationship with technology is complex, technology no doubt makes my life easier, however, I feel technology may consume me too much. Technology has always been a major influence in the ways I have learned through educational purposes and communicated with people, it has been a guide to the way I have lived my life. The power of technology is inconceivable it is everywhere we look. One of my biggest worries about my relationship with technology is the effect it has on me individually and how it affects society as a whole because I know there is really good that comes from technology but there can be just as easily bad. It also worries me because we are so consumed by our phones that it’s like it is a part of us, it is a problem that uncontrollably affects us physically and mentally.

One of the most extraordinary things about technology has to be the internet. The technology in our phones provides us with the ability to access the internet. The internet itself is its own virtual network that gives everyone the ability to enter a completely different world where there are little to no limitations. It is a place that we rely on for communication, information, entertainment, and so much more. Ultimately, it connects us to the world and gives us the opportunity for endless possibilities. Without the internet, our lives would be very different. The internet influences my life by providing me with information, and the ability to learn, communicate, and entertainment. My life has been immensely shaped and formed specifically through the aspects of entertainment and social media. I have seen the internet be a place to bring positive change into the world, bring societies together during unfortunate times, and help inspire individuals to share their voices. I have also seen the internet influence the lives of others negatively. As you can imagine when there is a place with little to no limitations and the ability to mask your identity people can do some really messed up things. These people who have been affected by these types of people have been significantly harmed through bullying or exposure, it’s a really sad thing but that is unfortunately the reality of this world. Because when people use and manipulate the abilities of technology and the internet it can be an invasion of privacy. That’s why it is important to be mindful and responsible when it comes to any kind of technology, especially, the Internet.

Another fascinating ability of technology is its ability to allow us to communicate anywhere, wherever, instantly. Whether it is through social media, texts, phone calls, emails, or even Zoom, this ability is essential in everyday life. The ability to communicate is essential because it allows us to receive or share messages in an instant from anywhere across the world. This is an extremely valuable ability considering we live in a world where anything can happen. This ability helps us stay informed and be cognisant of things happening around us at all times and helps us act fast and accordingly. Also if I have learned anything about growing up and even being away at college communication is a very essential part of my life, being permanently away from home can be hard, and being in touch with loved ones and the ability to communicate with those people is important because it allows you to still feel connected and there for them. Communication has also helped me build and create new relationships with people that wouldn’t be possible without the advancements in communication. I know for me it has also helped resolve conflicts through my ability to communicate my ideas and feelings to others. Communication shapes our interactions and experiences on a daily basis, it is extremely important.

Education has also been greatly influenced by technology. Brand new online learning platforms and websites have expanded students’ access to education and have made students’ experiences with learning more engaging and personalized. I have been lucky enough to witness these advancements firsthand. This technology specifically has given my generation access to learning that no other generation has ever seen. Throughout high school, most of my teachers were 100% technology-based through computers, and I would conduct all my work by researching on the Internet and doing writing assignments all on the computer. Another experience I had was during COVID-19 when my school decided to do hybrid which was half online and half in-school learning. Zoom was where the learning took place when we weren’t at school. Zoom provided us with a learning environment that was never used before but was necessary during the hard times of Covid 19 to keep students and faculty safe. Overall, technology has revolutionized the way we learn and has opened up new gateways and opportunities for education.

Technology surrounds the world around us, and every day it evolves, and every day we evolve with it too. Humans have a very unique and ever-evolving relationship with it. Technology has given me a unique relationship with it. Technology advancements in my life have transformed me into who I am and will continue to till the day I die. And if I have learned anything from technology it’s extremely valuable and essential to my everyday life and helps me complete tasks effectively and efficiently. But as it plays a pivotal role in my life it is important for me to be mindful of its power, and find a healthy balance between myself and it. I must not let it consume too much of and control me physically or mentally no matter how far technology continues to grow and innovate.

Revised Essay

Alex Yeaton

Prof. Miller

English 110

17 September 2023

My Relationship With Technology

Since the innovation of the smartphone, and the wheel, technology has intertwined with our everyday lives. It evolves every single day and we’re evolving right alongside it too. The basic function of technology is simple but yet so intricate, technology simplifies our everyday tasks in ways we couldn’t possibly do. We are extremely dependent on these technologies as it has become a necessity and normality in all of our lives. My relationship with technology is complex, technology no doubt makes my life easier. Technology has always been a major influence in the ways I have learned through my educational career, been the achilles heel of my communication with people, it has guided me to who and what I am today. However, I fear technology has and will consume too much of me. One of my biggest worries with evolving technology and its growing presence in all of our lives is how will affect me and how will it affect society. 

One of the most extraordinary things about technology has to be the internet. The internet itself is its own virtual network that gives everyone the ability to enter a completely different world where there are little to no limitations. It is a place that we rely on for communication, information, entertainment, and so much more. Ultimately, it connects us to the world and gives us the opportunity for endless possibilities. Without the internet, our lives would be very different. The internet is probably the biggest influence in my life, it provides me with the accessibility to learn, communicate, and access any information. One of the most impactful aspects of the internet is its ability to bring and inspire positive change in the world during desperate times and help inspire individuals or groups to share their voices. As we know it the internet can also be a very dark place. Throughout my experiences in high school, I have seen people’s lives impacted negatively because of this virtual network. For those affected by it opened them up to exposure and bullying. This is solely because the internet is a space that can lead to misinformation, cyberbullying, and invasion of privacy. It’s a very downhearted thing that that comes with the reality of the internet, but that is unfortunately the world we live in, and when we make such advances in technology it may make things worse. That’s why it is essential to be mindful and responsible when it comes to any kind of technology, especially, the internet.

Another fascinating ability of technology is its ability to allow us to communicate anywhere, wherever, instantly. Whether it is through social media, texts, phone calls, emails, or even Zoom, this ability is essential in everyday life. The ability to communicate is critical because it allows us to receive or share messages in an instant from anywhere across the world. This ability helps us stay informed and be cognisant of things happening around us at all times and helps us act fast and accordingly. Also if I have learned anything about growing up and even being away at college, communication is a very essential part of my life, being permanently away from home can be hard, and being in touch with loved ones and the ability to communicate with those people is crucial because it allows you to still feel connected and there for them. Communication has also helped me build and create new relationships with people that wouldn’t be possible without technological advancements in communication. I know for me it has also helped resolve conflicts through my ability to communicate my ideas and feelings to others. Communication shapes our interactions and experiences daily, it is extremely 

valuable.

Education has also been revolutionized by technological advances. Brand new online learning platforms and websites have expanded students’ access to education and have made students’ experiences with learning more engaging and personalized. I have been lucky enough to witness these advancements firsthand. This technology specifically has given my generation access to learning that no other generation has ever seen. Throughout high school, most of my teachers were 100% technology-based through computers, and I would conduct all my work by researching on the internet and completing writing assignments all on the computer. Another experience I had was during COVID-19 when my school was forced to go hybrid which was half online and half in-school learning. Zoom was where we met with teachers and they would continue to teach their criteria the same way they would in the classroom. Zoom provided us with a learning environment that was never used before but was necessary during the hard times of COVID-19 to keep students and faculty safe. Overall, technology has revolutionized the way we learn and has opened up new gateways and opportunities for education.

Technology surrounds the world around us, and every day it evolves, and every day we evolve with it too. Humans have a very unique and ever-evolving relationship with it, and as we grow with this technology it can change our experience for better or for worse. Technology has transformed me into who I am and will continue to till the day I die. If I have learned anything from technology is its value and indispensibility in my everyday life. But as it plays a pivotal role in my life I need to be mindful of its power and find a healthy balance between myself and it. I must not let it consume too much of and control me physically or mentally no matter how far technology continues to grow and innovate.