Does technology indirectly add more stress to our lives?
The numerous technological advancements made since the last few decades have been trumpeted to ease the hardship of man, but it appears to be a paradox. We have become a species destined to multitask, but constantly feel like we are running short of time. The progress we have made in the sphere of travel is mind-boggling. Modern jetliners, bullet trains and other networks of connectivity have vastly helped in improving the ability of man to make distant journeys in the shortest possible time. However, it was necessary to advance communication for man, which resulted in the invention of telephones, radio and finally, the internet along with smartphones. This technology allows us to stay in touch with each other. Such add-on inventions in fact, should have reduced the complexity of life, but did that really happen? Every technological venture initiated by humans has made life more complex. We find ourselves spending more time at work, more hours on our smart phones and leaving little time for family. One of the downsides of the Internet is that it has robbed personal contact people used to enjoy. Even a reimbursement after the cancellation of an online air or train ticket does not happen over the counter anymore. An online registration of a complaint will go back and forth, before someone gets back to you. A call-centre agent for a service company will lodge your requests assuring someone will get back to you within the next 48 hours. There are many activities that appear to have simple solutions but must wait until technology goes through the process before it delivers results.
-Reader is based in Dubai
