[Argumentative Essay] Technology

[snipe3000 678]

Technology (Personal Devices)   

       ¨Out of the world’s estimated 7 billion people, 6 billion have access to mobile phones. Only 4.5 billion have access to working toilets.¨, A quote from Times News. This quote is disheartening. Technology has woven its way into civilization. It has gone so far that more people have phones then they do toilets! A toilet is a necessity, a phone is not. Technology should be a convenience, not a necessity. 

 

       When it was first invented, technology was only a convenience. Over the years that technology became more advanced, it has become more of a necessity. A complete ban on technology would put even a school into chaos. However, according to a study by the London School of Economics, schools that ban students from carrying phones see a clear improvement in their test scores. When people give up their phones to authority, they can focus better because there is not that constant threat of a text or a new post on facebook or twitter.

 

      “But there are many good things to technology. How would we build some of the buildings we do without it?” someone against my argument might say. While this response to my essay might be true, I am not saying we need to completely stop using technology. We only need to put it back to a convenience. If we can not live for a week without technology, we are helpless. If we did not have to spend money on technology, imagine how much money the US would have.

 

      96% of the world’s population has a technological device of some sort. What about the other 4%? They are living on streets and are poor. Many people could give up one of their devices and still have more so why can’t we give to other nations to stop their homelessness and poverty. Why are we so addicted to technology that we spend millions of dollars buying it? Money that could be used to stop poverty and famine. Money that could be used to send water to drought stricken nations.

 

    There are many good attributes to technology, however, there are also many negative points to it. I know that many people would throw out the idea of less technology the second they see it. I know that some people are attached to technology so much that separation is impossible. Even so, technology is a hindering factor to sociality and friendship. I do not know how people can sleep with 15 personal devices when they know that 4% of the world does not have a single technological advantage. If we are so self indulged as to not see past the curtain of technology, we are helpless.

Edited May 13, 2016 by snipe3000

[GoldRock 6,165]

Nice essay, generally agree with you! However, I would clarify that you seem to be referring to certain personal technology (esp. that for entertainment purposes) rather than the gigantic field of technology as a whole, right?

[H.4.M.S.T.E.R 47]

As goldy said above, you are mainly referring to technologies like a PC or A mobile phone, instead of the technologies in whole.

Nice article though

[snipe3000 678]

Nice essay, generally agree with you! However, I would clarify that you seem to be referring to certain personal technology (esp. that for entertainment purposes) rather than the gigantic field of technology as a whole, right?

Yes. Seeing as how in schools, at least mine, even though the principal says not to have your phone, people have their phones within the field of vision of the teacher. I do not dislike technology as a whole just the fact that the second people have free time, the are on their phone. Many people, if they were not on their phones all the times, could be great writers. But instead, texts like "LOL, dat is funy" that do not use grammar, spelling, or punctuation, dull the brain to that level.

 

As goldy said above, you are mainly referring to technologies like a PC or A mobile phone, instead of the technologies in whole.

Nice article though

As I said above, Yes I am. Technology is a good thing. It saves a lot of people from having to work to the brink of death. However, Why do we need the "Newest Stuff" which will be replaced in what, a year?

[DragonOfStorms 2,706]

When it was first invented,  If we did not have to spend money on technology, imagine how much money the US would have.

I agree with your article, except for this quoted piece. What the U.S. spends on technology (or at least a fair chunk of it) goes largely into research and development, which is very important. The sad thing is, the U.S. spends more on welfare then on their military!

 

The figures are based on several different internet sites, and the figures are: Welfare, 668 billion; military, 664.8.

[GoldRock 6,165]

The sad thing is, the U.S. spends more on welfare then on their military!

 

The figures are based on several different internet sites, and the figures are: Welfare, 668 billion; military, 664.8.

That's not sad... it's nice to spend more on the support of citizens who need it than on the upkeep of military. I would accept it's a sign of progressive society, even though I'm not leftist.

 

But let's not go off-topic and launch into a politics discussion, heh xD

Edited May 11, 2016 by GoldRock

[Quarks 2,255]

That's not sad... it's nice to spend more on the support of citizens who need it than on the upkeep of military. I would accept it's a sign of progressive society, even though I'm not leftist.

 

But let's not go off-topic and launch into a politics discussion, heh xD

Yes please. I don't feel like discussing politics.

[The-Operator219 1,929]

I agree with you on technology, it's become under appreciated and people don't realize just how reliant on it we really are.

We have computers in just about everything now, including home appliances and our military. However, this has brought out some of the best of our generation such as Stephen Hawking, and Steve Jobs (God rest his soul).

If we were to completely get rid of technology we would return to the stone age because technology isn't necessarily applied to one concept like computing or whatever new gun that can shoot around corners, it's what we make and utilize in the world around us.

 

Innovations will be made no matter what efforts we make, because we have to rely on what we can use to be the better nation. The cavemen were reliant on clubs and fire, the early civilizations were reliant on spears and copper armor, and we're reliant on Facebook, Twitter, and the internet.

[MinuteMan.TO 14]

That's not sad... it's nice to spend more on the support of citizens who need it than on the upkeep of military. 

It is a bit sad, seeing as so many young able guys go on welfare, sit at home gaming, instead of looking for a job.

 

But let's not go off-topic and launch into a politics discussion, heh xD

Sorry  :P

[asifmehmood 1,576]

Nice!

[snipe3000 678]

I agree with you on technology, it's become under appreciated and people don't realize just how reliant on it we really are.

We have computers in just about everything now, including home appliances and our military. However, this has brought out some of the best of our generation such as Stephen Hawking, and Steve Jobs (God rest his soul).

If we were to completely get rid of technology we would return to the stone age because technology isn't necessarily applied to one concept like computing or whatever new gun that can shoot around corners, it's what we make and utilize in the world around us.

 

Innovations will be made no matter what efforts we make, because we have to rely on what we can use to be the better nation. The cavemen were reliant on clubs and fire, the early civilizations were reliant on spears and copper armor, and we're reliant on Facebook, Twitter, and the internet.

The first few comments state that I am talking about "Personal devices, not technology as a whole. Many aspects of technology are good. However, many people check their phones and Facebook every two minutes. 

 

Also, spears and armor are necessities for protection. Facebook, Twitter, and the internet breach safety. Think about how many houses would not be robbed if a person didn't post "Me and my family are going to dinner this evening from 6-9. We are taking our dog with us." That is a complete breach of safety seeing as how, if a person know your name, a potential robber would know when you will be out of your house.

[The-Operator219 1,929]

True that, but I thought you meant technology in general.

Spears and armor, or anything man-made, can be considered technology because it makes a task easier or more fruitful.

For example, "Why should I beat this thug to death when I can just use this pointy stick to stab him?" or in today's case: "Why should I spread word I'm planning a party when I can just post an event on Facebook?".

I'm not going to try and say I'm the one percent that doesn't check Facebook at least every day, because I do, but I will say that while it's easier than discussing plans for a sleepover with Robbie in person, it isn't my only resource.

I WILL say I'm one of the better readers of the generation, if only because I read and drew for the first half of my life. I only recently started using Facebook for the convenience of knowing what my friends have been up to and messenger conversations with them.

 

But overall I agree, we're all going to have computer screens attached to our bodies by the year 2100.

[Jwimmer 2,835]

For simplification, I will assume you were referring to technology as in products with circuits in them, namely computers, phones, tablets, and smart watches.

 

The way I see it is that there is nothing wrong with using more technology. Along with making our lives easier, it makes medical technology better. There is no reason to have a reserve on assimilating technology, because there is not much to it that is bad. The problems happen when they start to take over not a person's body, but their mind. If a person cannot get technology off of their mind, that is where problems occur.

Edited May 11, 2016 by Jwimmer

[snipe3000 678]

For simplification, I will assume you were referring to technology as in products with circuits in them, namely computers, phones, tablets, and smart watches.

 

The way I see it is that there is nothing wrong with using more technology. Along with making our lives easier, it makes medical technology better. There is no reason to have a reserve on assimilating technology, because there is not much to it that is bad. The problems happen when they start to take over not a person's body, but their mind. If a person cannot get technology off of their mind, that is where problems occur.

Ok, I would like to see half the people in my school go off of their phones for one day. Phones and the internet are just as bad as smoking and other drugs.

[The-Operator219 1,929]

Ok, I would like to see half the people in my school go off of their phones for one day. Phones and the internet are just as bad as smoking and other drugs.

Yes, they destroy lives and certainly can't be cured. .-.

Look, I went the first half of my life without touching a phone. (My first console was a hand-me-down NES.)

And I did, in fact, live without it the eight hours I went to school.

Maybe I'm the minority, but we aren't all phone-obsessed zombies who can't look up for a minute. We're dependent, yes, but we have friends and other things. 

[snipe3000 678]

Yes, they destroy lives and certainly can't be cured. .-.

Look, I went the first half of my life without touching a phone. (My first console was a hand-me-down NES.)

And I did, in fact, live without it the eight hours I went to school.

Maybe I'm the minority, but we aren't all phone-obsessed zombies who can't look up for a minute. We're dependent, yes, but we have friends and other things. 

For one, you are not in my school.

For two, I said half the people. Many people have phones in their lockers and do not use them through the school day but then go on the second school is out. Also, 8 hours is not an entire day.

[The-Operator219 1,929]

I am not in your school. :)

I do not exist in whatever dimension you do where the school is the entire population, therefore I cannot make a statement based on the data from your school.

I can, however, make a statement based on what I see and do everyday.

If you wanted to base your entire perception on what occurs at your school, why make it a discussion?

 

I only used the eight hour example because you seemed to be focused mainly on school, and where I live it lasts that long.

That itself is impartial data, because I can't factor in the time spent outside, playing with Legos/Transformers, and other things.

[snipe3000 678]

I am not in your school. :)

I do not exist in whatever dimension you do where the school is the entire population, therefore I cannot make a statement based on the data from your school.

I can, however, make a statement based on what I see and do everyday.

If you wanted to base your entire perception on what occurs at your school, why make it a discussion?

 

I only used the eight hour example because you seemed to be focused mainly on school, and where I live it lasts that long.

That itself is impartial data, because I can't factor in the time spent outside, playing with Legos/Transformers, and other things.

Apparently we have a misunderstanding.

I am not saying that 8 hours is not a school day. I am not saying that the entire world population couldn't go a day without their phones. All I am saying is that, in my school at least, seeing as that is where the most people in my life are, many people check their phones during the schooldays. I can not speak for the entire world populace but many people could not go a single day without an electronic device of some sort. 

 

Also, my main article is about the entire world. 96% of the world's population does have access to a personal device or some sort. I am merely using my school as an example because that is where I know the most people.

Edited May 12, 2016 by snipe3000

[The-Operator219 1,929]

And I used myself and my peers as data.

[basenji7 1,199]

I have a phone, and I check it multiple times daily. It makes communication easier, and yes, I prefer it over playing with Hot Wheels or whatever you want me to do instead. It makes it a lot easier to get in contact with people, especially people who don't live near you. While before you had to write letters that may have taken weeks or even months to be delivered, now it is possible to talk to someone instantaneously, through phones. Computers and phones and such make life a lot easier and I would say most of the new technology people have invented improves life quality. 

 

Clearly, taking phones away during school would improve test scores, just like taking away other distractions would. 

 

(Yes, I'm a teenage girl. No, I'm not stupid and/or addicted to my phone.)

[snipe3000 678]

I have a phone, and I check it multiple times daily. It makes communication easier, and yes, I prefer it over playing with Hot Wheels or whatever you want me to do instead. It makes it a lot easier to get in contact with people, especially people who don't live near you. While before you had to write letters that may have taken weeks or even months to be delivered, now it is possible to talk to someone instantaneously, through phones. Computers and phones and such make life a lot easier and I would say most of the new technology people have invented improves life quality. 

 

Clearly, taking phones away during school would improve test scores, just like taking away other distractions would. 

 

(Yes, I'm a teenage girl. No, I'm not stupid and/or addicted to my phone.)

"while technology has a lot of good attributes…"

 

Calling someone, fine. Why do we need 5 social media sites? Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Skype, SnapChat. Many people have all of them. 

[Blackdrakon30 2,943]

I thought this essay was really well written, and I especially appreciated it a lot because I'm doing a project for a class about Technology impacts. The perspective of fixing things, and what we could do if we weren't spending the money on so trivial of things, was quite nice! I thought perhaps though it would have been nice to have a little clearer of a thesis in order to keep the reader thinking on the main point.

 

Technology things like videogames aren't often the thing people want to do the most, but they are the most convenient thing that provides decent entertainment.

[snipe3000 678]

I thought this essay was really well written, and I especially appreciated it a lot because I'm doing a project for a class about Technology impacts. The perspective of fixing things, and what we could do if we weren't spending the money on so trivial of things, was quite nice! I thought perhaps though it would have been nice to have a little clearer of a thesis in order to keep the reader thinking on the main point.

 

Do you think the change I made fits?