Our Relationship With Technology (FINAL)

    My relationship with technology has crossed the border into unhealthy territories. There have been several occasions in which I have spent an entire day sitting in front of the computer screen. Doing so has lead to my eyesight deteriorating as well as gaining weight due to lack of movement. Despite this, I feel that technology has made me smarter, as in this day and age one must regularly exercise critical thought about what media they are consuming online. Technology has played a major role in my relationships, especially as some of my closest friends were met through the internet. The ability to easily communicate with others that share similar interests has made it easier to form connections, and even through a screen there can be genuine comradery.
    Technology has somewhat adversely affected my family members, in particular my father. A man who once enjoyed life was turned bitter after several years of access to all the most negative parts of the world. Rampant misinformation and a lack of critical thinking turned my father into a paranoid man who fears virtually anything he does not understand. My father always claimed he would never have a smartphone years ago, and now has the most expensive one out of everyone in the family. A man who used to have a passion for life is now jaded and only cares to complain about what goes on around him. Technology has created a divide between my father and those around him, as he fears the very thing he gets his information from, and refuses to listen to the concerns of his loved ones. Conversely, technology has strengthened the relationships of me and my friends. The ability to message those one cares about instantly and at virtually any time of day makes it easy for one to stay current with the events of another's life.
    There are many aspects of technology in society that have proven to be both productive and detrimental. For example, the widespread surveillance in China shows what happens when technology becomes far too important. The Chinese government has large amounts of information on its citizens and virtually controls their daily lives. A person could receive punishment for something minor simply because a camera was able to pick them out of a crowd of hundreds with facial recognition. That is not to say this technology is inherently evil, however such advances are virtually never used for the betterment of society as a whole. Artificial intelligence blurs the line between human and machine, and while still far off from the depictions in science fiction, creates problems in society. Artificial intelligence could one day be used to mass produce malware, steal identities, and so much more. Despite this, to say that artificial intelligence is evil is incorrect. Very few things in life are good or evil, and artificial intelligence has the potential for both depending on how it is used. Artificial intelligence can be used by doctors to more easily identify cancers or other irregularities.
    As a game design major, technology is practically interwoven with my life's path. Virtually every facet of any career I decide to pursue will rely almost entirely on technology. While my online presence is relatively anonymous at this time, many game developers rely on social media for feedback and community interaction. Game development studios do not have a mascot, rather the employees are the face of the company. If you were to google my name, you would find nothing about me in particular. From a young age, I was always taught to never reveal any identifying information online. I have several social media accounts, and absolutely none of them could concretely be traced back to me as they are all anonymous. 
    In conclusion, technology is a wonderful thing if used in a healthy manner. If used irresponsibly, it can lead to misinformation and unhealthy habits. It can create divides in households and ruin time weathered friendships in mere moments. However, when technology is used responsibly, it can deepen a person's knowledge and create lasting relationships and strengthen already existing relationships.

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