5 Ways to Harness Technology Positively

If there is one field that has progressed and developed at the speed of light, it is technology. Today, we are inundated with technology in every walk of life; we are surrounded by gadgets and gizmos of all shapes and sizes and we have become so dependent on them that we cannot envision a life without technology. But in spite of all the benefits and comforts that technology has provided us with, there’s no doubt that it has caused us an equal amount of misery as well. It is necessary today to make peace with technology and be friends with it, but unless we learn to harness it positively, it could end up having an adverse effect on our lives. To do this, we must:

• Not become too dependent on it: When we become addicted to technology, we are limiting ourselves and not providing enough stimulus and challenges for our brain. We find ourselves handicapped when some unforeseen problem arises with the technology and are literally helpless, little realizing that we got along just fine a few years ago when said technology was not yet invented. It’s OK to use technology when it is available, but to use it wisely, we must learn to get by even when it is not.
• Not use it for negative purposes: While technology has done wonders for the way we live, there’s no doubting the fact that it encourages and aids the baser aspects of human nature to come to the fore. You may know how to do it, but hacking into others accounts, harassing people anonymously, stalking someone online or committing fraud is neither ethical nor the right way to use technology.
• Not buy unless it is necessary: If you don’t really need that new gadget, don’t waste money on it even if it’s the hottest craze to hit the markets. When you buy technology that you’re hardly or never going to use, you waste money and fuel an addiction to own stuff that end up gathering dust because you don’t utilize them. So when you do buy a gadget, use it well instead of throwing it aside as soon as the next model comes along (which could be in no time at all considering the pace that technology is moving at today).
• Know social etiquette: How often have we seen people frowning at those who talk loudly on their mobile phones little realizing that they are disturbing the others around them? In order to use technology we, you must know its social implications and dangers and avoid using it when it could cause harm to yourself and others (talking on your phone or texting while driving), or where it become a source of public disturbance.
• Use and dispose of it in eco-friendly ways: We are contributing to global warming and climate change because of the huge amount of energy we consume. If each of us does a little to mitigate the effects of global warming by turning off appliances when we don’t use them instead of leaving them plugged in or hibernating, we would become responsible users of technology. Besides this, when we dispose of electronic waste in ways that are not hazardous to the environment and that don’t contribute to landfills and the pollution of natural resources, we are ensuring that technology has been harnessed wisely and positively.

This guest article was written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of accelerated online degrees . Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: adrienne.carlson1@gmail.com