is your computer your friend?

If I asked if your life is easier because you have technology I am sure that the response I would receive is a definite “yes.” If I followed up that question with another such as: “Would you say that your life is easy then?” I believe I would receive a definite “no.” If technology can do so many things for us then why is that our lives don’t simply feel easy then?

Neil Postman gave a talk about technology and how it might not be the close friend we always thought it was. While I agree that technology has costs that come with its benefits, I believe that the net gain is more than the loss. As a computer programmer, I create software that might ultimately put some people out of a job. That is definitely a loss and a very difficult loss for those people who now need to find new employment; however, I think that while it is a loss, there is an immediate gain in the company that now benefits from the software and a potential gain for the person who lost their job. They now have an opportunity to learn a new skill that will make them more marketable. This is obviously up to the individual but most do find other areas to contribute which is an overall net gain. Even though I believe this I still agree with Postman that, “We need to proceed with our eyes wide open so that we many use technology rather than be used by it.”