For the sake of a variety...

This essay was written as an assessment piece for my English class, but then I thought that I might use it to update my blog too, and let more than 4 people know what I think about the modern technological era. Also, since I noticed that on a regular basis my blog is being checked out in other countries (and in the US in particular) I thought that writing in English is not a bad idea and it may broaden the audience of my blog even more. It would be nice to know who those people reading my blog are, so, feel free to leave your comments ;)

New technology
 is making our lives easier

But isn’t the price too high??? 

Ever since humanity crossed the border

of the third millennium, there's been a technological fever bugging everyone's conscious with the idea that it is a new era now and we all must forget the prehistoric way we lived before and start enjoying all the benefits of the modern cyber world. As we plunge further into the 21st century, we start replacing the good old long-lived reliable tools with more and more new devices whose lifespan is hardly of someone's interest, as we know that there are new and even better devices right around the corner. Captivating design, efficiency and convenience win the customers’ audience easily and even those rare conservative admirers of old days can hardly resist the temptation of new experiences while watching their friends and colleagues exploring and enjoying the latest technological novelties.

Technology is taking over the world. It makes everything simpler, faster, more convenient, and easier accessible. Computers become smaller and more user-friendly, smart-phones and tablets with multiple applications enable us to keep track of news, set up working schedule, monitor the weather and our sleeping phases, book tickets and make hotel reservations, buy food at a supermarket and order home delivery, take photos and videos, share our thoughts and ideas with hundreds of people in just a few clicks and without a single word spoken. Our homes are filled with flat-screen TVs, stereo audio systems, sensor air conditioners, electronic nannies, cordless vacuum cleaners, fuzzy-logic dishwashers and washing machines, fridges with internet connection and all kinds of refined food processors making our home routine and leisure easy and comfortable. The companies developing all the new fancy devices do their best to accommodate our needs and make sure that we all know that ‘Life’s Good’ (LG ©), that on daily basis we use devices ‘Invented for life’ (Bosh ©), drive cars that are ‘The best or nothing’ (Mercedes-Benz ©), learn how to ‘Think different’ (Apple ©) and live our lives to ‘Inspire the world, create the future’ (Samsung ©).

However, ‘every gold bar comes at a price’ - some people say. Shouldn’t we be more careful when sweepingly accepting all the privileges granted to us by the digital world? We tend to seize on the idea of making everything worldwide, Wi-Fi, Hi-Tech, and ready to fly. Hardly do we look back and try to appreciate what we lose while racing after the future. It is out of question that the future will come inevitably. Although, it is equally true that the past will never come back. So, why are we trying to say goodbye to the present so quickly? Why do we happily get rid of things around us that used to be so meaningful and important?

Our daily life, being overfull with all sorts of technological accommodations, is lacking badly for sincere emotions and sympathy. No matter how many new emoticons will be designed, they will never become an equal substitute of a true friend’s smile. No matter how many gigabytes a computer’s hard drive can store, it doesn’t give a shred of the impression one can get while walking between endless bookshelves at a huge library with real paper books. People stopped talking. They chat. People stopped writing each other thoughtful letters where handwriting could tell you more than the text itself. They e-mail now. People start to rely on technology and trust it more than their common sense.

If it hadn’t been for the human nature always striving for better living conditions, we would probably still live in caves and eat raw meat. It is only natural that Homo Sapiens continue creating and inventing. The necessity of the rate at which all the tech innovations flash by seems questionable though. In the rush of what appears to be a competition among different manufacturers simply trying to show off in front of each other, the mankind can hardly make a pause to reflect on what has been achieved by now and what the implications and consequences are. New technology does make our lives easier. If only we could have enough time to take it easy...