23 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF TECHNOLOGY - TECHNOLOGY - 2025

When talking about the advantages and disadvantages of technology, reference is made to the positive and negative consequences that derive from the use of technological devices. Technology encompasses all those tools that require scientific knowledge for their development.

For this reason, technology can be defined as a set of scientific knowledge that aims to satisfy human needs linked to economic and social progress; they also allow to improve aspects of daily life. For example: the construction of certain machines allowed the growth of the textile industries during the First Industrial Revolution.

When talking about the advantages and disadvantages of technology, reference is made to the positive and negative consequences that derive from the use of technological devices. Source: pixabay.com

However, the excessive use of technology can also harm human beings and the environment where they live. For example, large machinery generates a lot of waste and a considerable amount of carbon dioxide, which is harmful to the environment.

Another example is found in the manufacture of plastic, a material designed by humans that facilitates daily life in many cases, but is also harmful to health and biodiversity. Here is a list of the advantages of the technology, followed by its disadvantages.

Advantages of technology

1. Allows easy access to information and knowledge 2. Quickly establishes communication channels 3. Increases productivity and efficiency 4. Contributes to people's health 5. Creates new professions and jobs 6. Facilitates Transportation and communication routes 7. It simplifies household and day-to-day tasks 8. Cost efficiency 9. It is necessary for human survival 10. Time saving 11. They can keep company 12. They increase globalization 13. They promote equality

Disadvantages of technology

1. Contaminate the environment 2. In some cases it is harmful to health 3. Increase social isolation 4. It can increase unemployment 5. Create a digital divide 6. Promote sedentary lifestyle and leisure 7. Eliminate private spaces and promote cybercrime 8. Possible danger to humanity 9. It generates addiction 10. It distorts reality

Advantages of technology

1. Allows easy access to information and knowledge

Technological advances have allowed people to quickly access different sources of information. This is possible thanks to the invention of the Internet, whose network of connections provides people from all over the world with access to multiple knowledge.

Before the Internet, human beings had more or less restricted access to information, since it could only be obtained by attending libraries. It should be noted that many people cannot move to a bookstore or library, but now they can get all the books they want from home through the Internet.

Likewise, many professionals took longer to carry out their investigations. Today they have a large number of electronic mechanisms that allow them to quickly obtain the necessary bibliography for their work.

Similarly, anyone can take an online course and learn about any topic they want to know.

2. Establish fast lines of communication

Current technology allows us to maintain contact with people and entities around the world. Source: pixabay.com

Current technology allows us to maintain contact with people and entities around the world. This implies an advantage for entrepreneurs and for different companies, since they can communicate with their clients quickly and effectively.

Thanks to technological advances, people no longer need to mobilize to purchase a product, since they obtain it with just one click from their device.

In addition, disciplines such as advertising or marketing have managed to increase their development from virtual platforms (such as social networks, web pages, among others) whose creation was possible through scientific knowledge.

3. Increase productivity and efficiency

Technology has increased the productivity of industries, as well as allows resources to be used efficiently.

For example: previously, watering and harvesting crops could take much longer, but with advances in technology it can be grown much faster. That is why it is claimed that technology increases production.

4. Contributes to people's health

A smartwatch that measures vital signs

Technology has enabled humans to improve their health systems. For example, technologies such as genetic engineering could cure hitherto incurable diseases, and sensors make it possible to monitor vital signs and prevent disease.

Likewise, today there are many scientists working on the development of prostheses that will allow people to replace a lost limb or replace an organ that suffered extensive damage.

5. Create new professions and jobs

As new technologies emerge, new jobs are also created. It can be seen that today there are occupations that did not exist forty years ago, such as web writers, those in charge of digital marketing, video game designers, among others.

6. Facilitates transportation and communication routes

Previously, the human being to move from one continent to another had to take a ship whose journey could take from three to six months; With technological advances, it is now possible to cross continents in a matter of hours thanks to the creation of airplanes.

The same happens with automobiles: before their existence, people had to move on horseback, but now they do so in faster and more sophisticated vehicles.

The development of transportation not only favored ordinary people; it has also made it possible to connect countries around the world. This implies the construction of commercial and diplomatic ties between the different nations.

7. Simplify household and day-to-day tasks

At present the human being has microwaves, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, electric ovens, among others. Source: pixabay.com

Thanks to technology today it is possible to preserve our food better, because we can store it in a refrigerator; so it is with many other aspects of daily life. At present the human being has microwaves, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, electric ovens, among others.

All these electronic devices facilitate people's routine, because without their existence they would have to spend much more time doing household chores.

8. Cost efficiency

Through technology it is possible to improve processes and implement new ways of carrying out tasks. Thanks to this, machines can produce the same results as humans - or even better results - in certain industries.

This results in cost savings for companies, since it allows them to invest these resources in the growth of other areas of the business, which in turn has a positive impact on the economy in general.

9. It is necessary for human survival

Without technology, problems such as global warming, water shortages or pollution could not be solved. The use of technologies for the use of renewable resources and water treatment allows solving these problems.

Also, in the future it will be necessary to develop new technologies that solve current problems and new ones that are likely to arise.

10. Save time

Autonomous driving

Technology allows people to have more time and can dedicate it to leisure or creative activities. For example, autonomous car driving could allow people to read while traveling, sleeping, writing, or doing any other activity.

Thus, people would have more time to think, create and solve hitherto unsolved problems.

11. They can keep company

The Pepper robot

Technology has always been seen as something alien to the human, as something asocial. However, the latest technology allows humans who are more alone to feel more accompanied.

For example, the Pepper robot can act like another member of the family. In addition, there are applications that work as virtual friends or even as boyfriends.

12. Increase globalization

The world is more connected than ever. Digital technology has given us the opportunity to meet people, nations and cultures from other worlds that otherwise would have been impossible to enjoy.

In addition, the technology of means of transport such as airplanes or high-speed trains make it possible for mobilizations to be even more accentuated due to cost and time savings.

13. They promote equality

Until not long ago, a person who was born with a physical handicap was condemned to not being able to live life like other people. For example, the labor incursion of a blind or paralyzed person would have been practically nil. However, new technologies have developed techniques such as teleworking that foster an opportunity to achieve equality.

In turn, the digital age has allowed a person to market a product or service anywhere in the world, increasing their chances of success. It could be the case of a Haitian artist with few resources and who has the opportunity to exhibit his work on online platforms for the purchase and sale of art.

Disadvantages of technology

1. It pollutes the environment

One of the main disadvantages of technology is the fact that its excessive use contributes to the destruction of the environment. Source: pixabay.com

One of the main disadvantages of technology is the fact that its excessive use contributes to the destruction of the environment, which affects both humans and biodiversity.

People continually acquire products that, when discarded, cause damage to the ecosystem. This is the case with plastic containers, parts of electronic devices, clothing, among other elements.

To solve this problem, many institutions and companies have carried out campaigns where recycling is promoted. However, humans consume these harmful elements excessively, so we are still far from solving the environmental problem.

2. In some cases it is harmful to health

Although technology has made it possible to develop notable advances in the area of ​​health, it can also cause harm to people who use it in an immoderate way. This is the case with the excessive use of mobile devices, whose screens hurt the eyes and can subsequently cause problems with vision.

3. Increase social isolation

Some researchers propose that the excessive use of technology causes a distance between people. For example: it is common to visit a restaurant and realize that in many cases people communicate very little during the meal, since they are constantly checking their mobile phones.

This type of behavior is a source of concern for psychologists and other professionals, who say that technology is modifying the way in which people interact.

4. May increase unemployment

Previously a group of people were in charge of tightening the nuts of a certain piece; today this action can be easily performed by a machine. Source: pixabay.com

Just as technology can create new jobs, it can also eliminate old jobs. This happens because machines and robots have replaced human labor in many areas, especially in positions related to large industries.

For example: previously a group of people were in charge of tightening the nuts of a certain piece; today this action can be easily performed by a machine.

5. Create a digital divide

Thanks to the creation of the Internet and digital platforms, many people have access to information, however, the development of these technologies has caused a digital divide between those who can obtain the Internet and those who cannot.

In other words, many people in poor countries do not have the necessary resources to obtain an electronic device; Even if they could acquire it, the signal in the area where they live is likely to be very low or non-existent. These factors make a sector of the population unable to advance together with the economic and social changes derived from technology.

Likewise, there is also a generational digital divide; This refers to those people who were born before the invention of the new platforms and who have had problems adapting to rapid technological changes. In other words, these are those generations that did not grow up with digital development, such as grandparents.

6. Promotes sedentary lifestyle and leisure

Technology aims to make life easier for human beings, however, this can generate a certain level of sedentary lifestyle. Today people spend much more time sitting in front of a computer, which makes them more sedentary. This generates muscle problems such as the usual back pain.

Similarly, the flashy digital platforms also promote leisure; This is seen when people around the world spend many hours a day checking social networks or other platforms (such as streaming services), which makes them less productive.

7. Eliminate private spaces and promote cybercrime

Digital spaces are prone to cybercrime. Source: pixabay.com

When talking about different digital platforms, it is common to hear about data theft or about privacy rights; Today many technology companies have faced ethical issues due to mishandling of user data.

Likewise, digital spaces are prone to cybercrime, which refers to all crimes that are committed through the internet, such as the illegal sale of weapons, the hacking of personal accounts, among others.

8. Possible danger to humanity

Robots can include artificial intelligence

There are technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), that can pose a danger to the survival of humanity.

On the one hand, AI could be used as a weapon; a terrorist group or government could decide to use it against other countries. On the other hand, AI could get out of human control and pose a threat.

9. Generates addiction

Addiction has always been associated with the consumption of drugs, alcohol and other narcotics, as well as the so-called ingestion (food) addictions. However, technological developments have generated a new psychological profile of digital addicts.

Examples of this are video games, mobile phones, television or the internet. In addition, addictions such as gambling have evolved to the digital, since you can also gamble online.

10. It distorts reality

Technologies increasingly take us further away from nature and, therefore, from real life in many aspects. For example, the Internet or virtual reality have brought about a significant change in the perception of things and the way of socializing, which is done through a screen.

Although technologies such as social networks have brought us closer to knowing other worlds without leaving home, it is true that this information can be easily manipulated, generating rejection or other types of discrimination and prejudice.

References

1. González, A. (2018) Advantages and disadvantages of technology. Retrieved on April 29, 2020 from fedecamarasradio.com
2. SA (2015) What is it and how to combat cybercrime. Retrieved on April 29, 2020 from Portaley.com
3. SA (2017) Disadvantages and risks of technology. Retrieved on April 29, 2020 from information-age.com
4. SA (sf) 22 advantages and disadvantages of technology in education. Retrieved on April 29, 2020 from futureofworking.com
5. SA (sf) Technology. Retrieved on April 29, 2020 from es.wikipedia.org
6. SA (sf) Top 10 advantages and disadvantages of technology. Retrieved on April 29, 2020 from medium.com