By Amelia Abemayor
Technology.
It’s all around us; in our homes, our schools, even hidden in the deep depths of the earth. But what is it, really? By definition, technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. However, in a world where the number of Facebook friends defines a person and cell phones have practically become extensions of our bodies, technology has truly developed into more than just a simple dictionary definition.
Whether you’re a new-age Kindle or Nook owner or prefer to stick to plain old books, it is hard to imagine that we once lived in a world where technology did not have a major presence in everyday life. As society grows more and more dependent on technology, it seems as if we are losing the ability to survive without it. Just thinking about a day without my electronics gives me the chills, and leaves me wondering: what technology can we not live without?
I first looked at myself, your everyday teenage girl (who, according to her parents, happens to be a “technology addict”). I chose a random, standard day, and set out to go about my life normally; but this day was different. It was a day sans technology: I went to school with no phone, no laptop, and essentially (what felt like) no dignity. I soon realized the drastic effects technology has on me. Whether it is in class, or simply sitting at the school lunch table, technology’s presence has become irrevocably entwined with my life.
While I sat there with nothing but my backpack, my friends and peers were attached to their phones and practically drooling over their computers. Even teachers and staff throughout my classes relied on every piece of technology in their classrooms to teach. The struggle soon became real. It was hard to come to the realization that my life had been controlled by my electronics all this time, but I still tried to stick the day out.
That was, of course, until I got home. I felt empty, like something was missing; the withdrawal symptoms really hit when I got home from school. Unfortunately, my experiment failed miserably as I checked every single notification possible the second a computer was in sight.
Although my attempted research was unsuccessful, I was still eager to further investigate our world’s relationship with technology. I talked to friends, family, even my 84-year-old grandmother. The answers were all different and unique in their own way, just like every update of the iPhone. Some said they could go days without the buzzing and beeps, while others said they would experience the same withdrawal affects I dealt with that day.
It’s really crazy to think about. Could you go a day, even an hour without air conditioning? What about no cars, trains or planes? It would feel like the apocalypse, or the return of the Middle Ages. Technology has become so completely ingrained in our lives that it would be virtually impossible to eliminate it for even a day.
All in all, our love-hate relationship with technology keeps on growing and growing as our world keeps on advancing. Soon enough, the thought of a technology-free world won’t even be present in our minds. The world we live in today, and the future that awaits us, is constantly depending on technology in every single way.
Amelia Abemayor is a senior at Horace Greeley High School. Growing up, her favorite book was Amelia Bedelia.
