World War Zero

Sixty years ago the fear of an atomic bomb exploding in the world created chaos and uncertainty. American children learned to hide under their desks at schools to protect themselves against radiation. Russians, on the other hand, were brained washed to condemn Western cultures and subordinated to their dictator. The Cold War in the 1950’s seemed to fast forward the end of the world; however, humanity prevailed. Now, the end of the world has been proclaimed close again, and this time the war isn't fought with nuclear strength, but with codes in zeroes and ones in technology. Modern minds allude to technological advancements as life savers and comfort providers, while, critics condemn the extend of their influence in society. Technology is a threat to humanity because its has installed dependency and is slowly controlling human behavior.

New generations, and a few more born in the late twentieth century, cannot picture their lives without technology. This advancement has symbolized, as Columbia Law School Professor, Tim Wu, would say “ a mechanism to keep humanity on track ” (Wu, 3). This mechanism has granted many people with the opportunity to see, hear, talk, and even walk when doctors would have sworn they were defeated. Technology has helped the Medicine profession prevent and fight diseases that killed thousands of people in the pre-modern times. In his article, "As Technology Gets Better", Will Society Get Worse?" , Wu defends technological advancements blaming the user for the bad connotations that it has. He proclaims that “the problem with technological evolution is that it is under our control, and unfortunately, we don’t always make the best decisions” (Wu 3). Wu, as the majority of the new generations, see the advancements in technology as a way to improve, expand, and condition human life if used responsibly.

Technological advancements have an opposite symbolism for opponents of such evolution. The more critical person argues that technology has done nothing but diminished the way human brains’ works. Nicholas Carr, a recognized author to The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The New Yorker, has gained his fame through harsh criticism of human engagement with new technology. In one of his articles, "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" , Carr emphasizes the biological consequence of being dependent on technology and the way society has adapted to the changes. Carr quotes from personal experience, “ I feel as if I’m, always dragging my wayward brain to the text , “ when, “writing e-mails, scanning headlines and blog posts, watching videos and listening to podcast, or just tipping from link to link.” ( Carr , 2). In his argument,, technology has made humans inpatient and less critical thinkers because they expect information to be grated and easily accessed as a computer do. Biologically speaking, according to James Olds, Neuroscience professor at George Mason University, the brain adapts to changes and accommodates to whatever new input it is exposed to (Carr, 8). The more expose to technology and the more dependent of it humans become , the more their brains adapt allowing technology to reprogram humanity in every sense (Carr, 5).

Technology is essentially a tool that humans themselves have created and society must learn to set the limits for it’s usage. The extend of technological advancements are immense from being able to set an alarm clock at night, to talking navigation maps on automobiles, and precise surgical hands that can save a life. Technology is a beauty, but as Nicholas Carr points out in his article, “The internet, an immeasurably powerful computing system, is subsuming most of our other intellectual technologies” (Carr, 5). Society is completely based on technology and humans have left aside things such as text reading for eBooks, libraries for online search engines, and even walking for cars. The human mind has adapted to work less. People are less patient in every aspect of their lives because technology has taught them that if they do not get a new screen up or at least a downloading icon, that means something is wrong. Children begin to experiment with their parents cell phones and tablets long before they learn how to read in school. The majority of adolescents find the need to be logged in and check their Snapchats, Facebooks, Twitter, or Instagrams every five minutes to look for updates. Even the educated are subject of the technological invasion. Most professionals send daily emails to colleagues, probably sitting in the room next door, to communicate.

Technology has diminished the whole purpose of living. Sitting in front of a monitor is not fun. Most people live attached to their cell phones everywhere they go. Workplaces, schools, and even churches have to remind people to turn off their devices during such times to prevent distractions. Human kind cannot live under this pressure. It is true that technology is the greatest advancement of all times, but it is also true that this advancement is slowing erasing human quality. Do not be surprised to encounter a robot welcoming people into a hospital emergency room, or a having a professor Skype students from Italy for morning lecture. Technological advancements have been human best friends since the printing press was created; however, they can easily become society’s worst enemies once they begin to control and direct human behavior.