The technological advances that arrived in a swift fashion in the mid-1990s have reshaped the very fabric of society, and modern technologies have attracted various population groups in different areas. It is no exaggeration to say that technology has impacted upon the lives of everybody, in one way or another. However, this is often quite subliminal and somewhat ironic given the bold nature of the imposition of digital technology on our lives. It’s true that the digital world has changed our lives in almost every way possible.
To start with, do you still remember the days when teachers used chalk, dusters, and blackboards? They are almost never used today. Black has turned white, in the form of interactive whiteboards. To go one step further, the days of children having to carry a bag with printed books will probably be a distant memory in the future. With the advent of the age of the tablet, they are starting to use the impressive electronic devices to read e-books. More importantly, schools now come equipped with Wi-Fi or broadband to ensure instant Internet access for study and research purposes.
Likewise, how often do you see children playing games on a smartphone, laptop, or mobile game device of one kind or another? Probably more often than you see them playing outside with their friends. Children of the modern age are incredibly tech savvy, my goodness, almost from the time they learn to talk. They don’t have to learn how to use technology but are able to be informed, keeping abreast of the latest technological developments, because technology is simply a part of who they are. They grow up with it, they know it, and they cannot survive without it.
Dramatic changes can also be felt at home. As the modern family is busier than in the past, hectic family life seems dominated by all-things-convenient. Luckily, cooking is now made easy and a lot quicker thanks to hundreds upon hundreds of cooking apps, online recipes, how-to-cook videos, etc. Quite literally, technology has made cooking accessible and enjoyable to all. Furthermore, the days of battling other siblings for rights of the sole TV in the living room have gone and become a thing of the past. Now, children have their own laptop on which to watch their choice of TV shows, movies, videos, etc.
Then how about our workplace? Nearly a decade ago, one had to sit in the office all day long. Not so now though! Many companies, whether headquarters or affiliates, actively encourage working from home, and this is becoming more and more common as employers realize that employees do not require round-the-clock monitoring in the completion of their daily tasks. In addition, technology has led to the widespread use of online video conferences; as a result, colleagues are no longer obliged to even meet in a face-to-face environment, removing yet another element of the business arena of old.
Aligned with this fashion of convenience is our leisure. In the past, holidays were invariably booked through travel agents or a dedicated provider, based upon their sales skills and packages together with brochures. Sometimes, the most unappealing destination could be made to look like a luxurious five-star resort. Now, people are a lot more discerning, thanks to the abundance of online booking sites and online reviews of every leisure facility the world over. We search the Web to find the cheapest flights and avoid extra charges. We also book accommodations based upon our requirements and check out exactly what we will do before we even arrive!
In the everyday practicality, digital technology has also established its credibility in changing our old-fashioned personal life. While we used to stand in line at the bank during our lunch break, now we perform most of our banking online, mainly via our smartphones. While we formerly walked to the shop to buy the daily newspaper, now we can access news sites worldwide and download news apps at the touch of a screen. While we used to head to the video store to choose the latest release, now we can download movies online at the click of a mouse. While we used to play simple, yet wonderful, console games, now we can play them through the Internet against people from all around the world.
When it comes to social life, there are now so many social platforms cropping up that it’s difficult to keep up with them. It’s somewhat funny, though, that our social life is kind of akin to “emotional blackmail”. Even those who have desperately tried to evade all things social have found it’s simply impossible to avoid. Today people are more engaged in connection than conversation. Social media has become an essential part of life and a place for people to catch up with existing friends, rekindle friendships from the past, or meet new people from overseas …, because they can.
As we can see, the digital revolution has changed our lives to such an extent that the way we exist as a civilization has almost completely altered with no point in history for comparison. We concede that advanced technology is probably erasing rich human relationships, but it shows no signs of slowing down. It’ll continue to flourish and bring a lot of potential to transform the way we live in the foreseeable future. Are you ready for that?