Jack Moneymaker

HUM 101

Blog One

Can Technology Make Us Smarter?

We live in a world full of innovation and technology, but can all of this advancement really make our lives easier, or more importantly, us smarter? In our society we are surrounded by technology that is becoming more common, everything from cell phone, MP3 players, GPS, to the Internet. Also, there is new technology for every aspect of our lives. On both sides of this technology there are arguments for and against whether it can make us smarter or not. It has been debated that playing video games can heighten reflexes and improve logical reasoning and problems. However I have also heard of T.V. “Rotting your mind.” Now how accurate are either of these claims? It is hard to tell at this stage of societal development. I personally believe that like most things in life it must be taken in moderation. Some new technologies are harmless, such as a chip in running that records distance and pace or a camera in a car so that you can see what is behind you. Some have made people’s lives easier, GPS for one, many people would quite literally, be lost without it. We then come to technologies that although they have made our lives easier they have not necessarily made them better and could in some cases detrimental if not used correctly. Spell check is a perfect example, it has been around for years and most people do not even realize how often they use it on a daily basis. It has made writing on a computer infinitely easier, but some people use it to the point where it is shrinking their vocabulary and cannot even spell simple words. Many persons do not even know how to use a dictionary anymore. So is technology making us smarter as a society? It is not for me to decide, but it is definitely something to be utilized but not solely relied on.