OnlineBookClub.org

In this story, Alex Fine used Technology to improve his life and to reach out to people in need. In reality, is technology the servant of man or the other way?

It could be either, depending on the individual. If a person lets themselves be tied to their smartphone or other device, that is a choice to be a servant of technology. I think we would collectively be better off if each of us individually "unplugged" on a regular basis-which is what I'm going to do now!

As the mobile phone becomes smarter, it also becomes more and more indispensable. It is now phone, radio, camera, tv, book, diary, computer, map, clock, flashlight, dictionary, and who knows what else. (In Japan, phones are swiped at train stations and stores to pay for purchases.) Will the day come when people will no longer need to meet other people in person? I dread the day when one's need for companionship will be met by a lifeless phone.

I always found it interesting how in the movie Matrix they never really explained how the machines took over. Looking at the modern world, I'm not surprised if it would be a slow boil and at some point in effect slavery to machines is just the latest must-have fad.

Spirit Wandering wrote:It could be either, depending on the individual. If a person lets themselves be tied to their smartphone or other device, that is a choice to be a servant of technology. I think we would collectively be better off if each of us individually "unplugged" on a regular basis-which is what I'm going to do now!

Nice one. I hope we would really comment to unplugging our gadgets once a day to be with ourselves and our family.

We are servants to technology. People are constantly on their devices. People spend more time with electronics than they do anything else!

Donnavila Marie01 wrote:

Spirit Wandering wrote:It could be either, depending on the individual. If a person lets themselves be tied to their smartphone or other device, that is a choice to be a servant of technology. I think we would collectively be better off if each of us individually "unplugged" on a regular basis-which is what I'm going to do now!

Nice one. I hope we would really comment to unplugging our gadgets once a day to be with ourselves and our family.

Thanks!

People can choose to use their technology like the tools they are, which is what I do. I'm on my computer a lot because it's where my work is, but I limit time on my phone to once a day to keep myself productive. Others, unfortunately, respond to every noise their phone makes and I find that slavish.

I think technology SHOULD be the tool of the user, but it does turn out to be the other way around sometimes. Technology has made our life easier in some ways, but in other ways, it keeps us from being closer together.

From an employee perspective, I would say it goes both ways. For example, where I work computers are used to track patient care, and to cull information from our patient population. In that regard, technology is at the mercy of human beings. On the other hand, when the computers go down, or when there are glitches that impede our progress, we are definitely at technology's mercy!

The irony of technology is that it connects people from all over the world but at times, it separates people who are physically near each other.

I do think we've become a servant of technology. It takes a conscious effort to make it be the other way around, keeping it as a tool that we are not glued to.

e-tasana-williams wrote:From an employee perspective, I would say it goes both ways. For example, where I work computers are used to track patient care, and to cull information from our patient population. In that regard, technology is at the mercy of human beings. On the other hand, when the computers go down, or when there are glitches that impede our progress, we are definitely at technology's mercy!

I agree. If I need to prepare for my lessons in the university, I need the aid of technology. In some instances, I can still prepare my lessons even without technology because we have the printed materials.

kandscreeley wrote:I think technology SHOULD be the tool of the user, but it does turn out to be the other way around sometimes. Technology has made our life easier in some ways, but in other ways, it keeps us from being closer together.

This is exactly how I feel. It is so irritating when we are out for dinner with other people and someone whips out their phone. For what? I'm not really sure, but I feel like when we purposely are trying to spend time with people, then that's what we should be doing, not being on phones. Unless there is an emergency, there really isn't a need to pull out phones when out to dinner.

Of course, this happens more than just going out to dinner. Even at home, when we should be trying to spend quality time with our loved ones, sometimes that gets pushed aside for some electronic device.

Being technically connected has its benefits, but there definitely should be a balance of using it versus connecting with loved ones.

I think, generally speaking, technology is still a servant of man. Even those of us glued to our screens all day are still utilizing those screens to do productive things (at least some of the time) or to waste time in the way that we see fit. Technology simply gives us a gateway to many things we did not previously have easy access to.