Acorn

Cell phones, Internet, television, PDAs-it makes one wonder. How much more could we possibly need? It seems that not that long ago, people lived without cell phones,Internet, high-definition television and the like. What does this say about our society? Has technology progressed to a point to which we are so insecure that we are dependent on technology? Or on the other hand, do we simply use this technology because it is available to us? These questions beg an answer.  

With our fast-paced, upbeat lifestyles, we have become expectant of these necessities. The sad part, however, is that these items are not really necessities, but some say, luxuries. Perhaps the fact that most people have these items is what makes them necessary for us to have them. On a realistic level, they are not essential for our basic survival. However, they do seem essential for our happiness and connection to the world.

Some also argue that technology has made us weaker in terms of interpersonal relationships. With instant connection to each other and quick responses to messages, it seems that we become dependent on always having those we need close to us. It can be argued that this connection makes relationships stronger or that self-emotional stability is weaker because of this.

Older generations often talk about how today's teenagers are spoiled, many comforts that they successfully lived without. However, I argue that despite our having all these things, we do value them. Our generation has lived both with and without many modern day technologies. Although, I think the point of being over-indulged holds some validity in terms of children who never knew what it was like to be without a cell phone or computer.

Nevertheless, I submit the fact that it is all relative. For example, parents born in the 40s might have thought their children who grew up in the 60s were spoiled because they had a television set in their home. Television was something that most families in the 1940s did not have, so to them, it was a luxury of the 60s. Although it might seem that our children have so much, they really will just be experiencing the same types of technological changes that we ourselves have gone through.  Intergenerational misunderstanding of technology is something that may always plague our society.

The answer to many of the questions that this article begs is availability. Things are available, so we use them. Our reliance on certain items technology has provided does make them necessities. We have grown into the technology that surrounds us today, just as we will grow into the technology in 20 years. Therefore, it is not a question of whether or not we can live with or without certain devices of technology, but a question of "why not live without it, if it is available to us?

Danielle Firavanti is a sophomore English major

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