The Psychology of Technology

The Advent of Technology has not only shaped our lives in ways we cannot imagine but has also changed the lives of those that come after us. It has integrated itself into every action we take even if we notice its presence or not. Technology has become a shadow that is ever-existent in our lives and stays with us throughout our actions without us feeling its presence.

The Pursuit for Happiness. Before going into the changes brought upon us through the advent of technology. We must address the fundamental question to why technology has come to our lives. As human beings, we have always chased after the thought of 'If'. Here this if plays a very important role. We dream, we imagine, we chase and we pursue after a goal. And it all begins with this two-letter word 'IF'. If I was lucky, I would have won the lottery. If I had more money, I would have bought that. If I was more handsome, I could have gotten her. If is what makes us think and brings forth what comes next, the need for more. Human beings are by default never satisfied with what they have. It has been the case for millions of years and will remain the same for the next million years or so on. And why not. I might say that this is what is keeping us alive. If we had not chased after what we didn't have, I do not think we could have ever come to the point we are at now. It's this constant pursuit and longing for the things we cannot attain that have stumbled upon the mysteries of the universe and are now standing at the top of the world as its most dominant species. We have conquered the highest of heights and the lowest of depths. We are wired to run after what we don't have. This constant search for the unattained is what has brought about the birth of technology.

What After? We now know what has brought technology to our lives. But what's next? Are we done here? Is there nothing that happens next? The answer is yes. There is a next. The thing is anything that brings about a revolution brings with it changes. Technology has brought with it changes. It has made our lives many a time easier. But is that all? I would say no. See the topic of this blog is quite deceiving. And that was done purposefully, see the problem with writing about changes that technology has brought is that technology did not bring changes only to our physical lives. It has brought about changes in our mentality and psychology. And that's where my interest lies. See I believe that there exists a very big change between the people that were born before the advent of technology, people who grew up with no technology in their lives, and the people who were born with technology throughout their lives.

 The Psychology of the Human Mind. The human mind is a complex and adaptable system that is capable of remarkable feats of learning, memory, and problem-solving. Adaptation is an essential aspect of the human mind, as it allows us to adjust to new environments, experiences, and challenges. The human mind is the most complex biological structure ever witnessed. It works by taking in information and adapting to that information. This constant ability to change has brought about changes and that too at a constant rate. This is what allowed us to be at the peak of innovation. We adapt and that has happened for millions of years this ability is why we are here and we are still at the top even after so long. But this also means that we are not the same as our parents. Our parents are not the same as their parents and so on. This is because we took in the information that was different than the information they took in and so we adapted differently. And this change in environment is what has brought about the term "Generational Gap".

We are Different and That's Not Bad? With the advent of technology, we have also adapted to our changes. Technology has brought change and remains in our lives. Today we see a smartphone in the hands of every child. People use electric trains; cars plane etc. for transport. I could keep on going about this for longer but you get my point. Just a few years ago this was not the case. And people did not live their lives as people do now. We often listen to our parents ranting how life was better back then or some chatter about how they went through hardships just to go to school. How our lives are easier. But fundamentally technology has not only made our lives easier, it has brought about new challenges and hardships in its own way. With ever easy access to any information, competition is at its peak and unemployment is becoming a bigger issue. The global climate changes pose a threat with political leaders being too busy with their issues. It has become the challenge of our generation to step up and act toward resolving these problems. Thus, each generation may be different, we all have our hardships in our way. Through understanding this fundamental idea, we can work together and understand each other better.

                                                                                                                                      -Adon Ahmed Joy

References:

1. Newport, C. (2016). Deep work: Rules for focused success in a distracted world. Grand Central Publishing.

2.Twenge, J. M. (2017). iGen: Why today's super-connected kids are growing up less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy--and completely unprepared for adulthood--and what that means for the rest of us. Simon & Schuster.

3.Turkle, S. (2011). Alone together: Why we expect more from technology and less from each other. Basic Books.