Implications of increasing advancements in technology- A brief discussion
Technological advancements in the recent era have affected productivity and growth, notably in the case of developed economies. However, technology is supposed to enhance growth. On the one hand, it has created jobs and increased economic growth in the developed nations.
On the other hand, technology decreased the productivity levels of the nations. Modern technological innovations such as communications technology and information technology cannot ensure long-term economic growth like previous innovations such as automobiles and electricity. Modern innovations cannot ensure big economic payoff. ICT has more negative effects on the society, and this, in turn, is undermining GDP growth and productivity (Leung, 2011). The modern technological advancements have multiple pitfalls.
Identifying the causes
Modern technology is “disruptive” in a literal sense. Technological disruption demands a lot from people in terms of new skills, behavioral changes, and adaptation to innovative systems. While it can be argued that new software and hardware is consistently offering more efficiency capacity and performance, it would be necessary to point out that it is partly solving economic issues. This is because people need to spend time to learn to use the systems. This transition can be challenging for many. Another probable cause is the fast-changing feature of modern technology. Due to its changing nature, digital technology is also creating security challenges.
For instance, rising cyberattacks, viruses, spam, and different kinds of breaches related to security are imposing continuous threats and rising costs for businesses (Kim et al., 2011). Again, it is creating a mess in the society because people are losing their ability to concentrate on single tasks for a long time. They are easily getting distracted due to non-work emails, internet videos, social media, and videogames. These distractions are off-setting the productivity levels of people. It has become a rising concern. Telecommute has created concerns and has been disadvantageous for society. Again, increasing usage of smart phones is shaping the minds of the people. They are getting addicted to their smart phones. Mostly men and women in the age group 21-30 are not participating actively in the labor market as they are addicted to social media and video games. In the US, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 3477 people have been killed as they were distracted while driving. Therefore, these issues have become a rising concern in the digital age.
An outline of the probable solutions
The negative implications of technological advancements can be mitigated by focusing on identifying the real reasons behind technology addiction. People are lonely inside. Therefore, they are looking for ways to distract themselves. Social media or video games allow people to escape from reality (Sharma & Maleyeff, 2003). Therefore, it is vital to point out to them this issue. Again, prevention strategies can be effective. Taking the path to de-addiction would be possible. They need to understand that the real world is different from the virtual world. Therefore, this realization is necessary for dealing with the negative implications of technological advancements. People need to engage in real-life conversations and increase real-world experiences.