Technology pretty much runs our lives these days. In our work lives and our home lives, we have computers, phones, and gadgets helping us with our daily routine. But is technology taking over and shifting our societal norms? Is too much technology a bad thing?
Sometimes we are so used to relying on technology to help us out, we forget how to act in a world without it. We tend to blame technology for all those daily faux pas we commit. If you’ve ever heard or used (or even thought of!) any of these excuses, you’re not alone. Here are six of the most common bad habits we blame on technology.
“Hey, I know we’re having a conversation, but someone more important just texted me.”
You know the person: they take their phone out at the beginning of the meal or a conversation, and every five minutes or so they check to make sure they haven’t missed a text or email. Maybe that person is you! Nothing is more annoying than not having your companion’s attention, especially in a one-on-one situation. If you are in a group, repeatedly checking your phone is a little more acceptable.
Regardless, if you do this, your annoying habit is saying that you really don’t care about the conversation or company, and you have better things to worry about. If that’s not the message you want to portray, put your phone away.
“I’m breaking up with you over a text message so I don’t have to deal with this in person.”
Accountability has gone out the window with the rise of technology and the web. The Internet gives us the option of not dealing with the immediate fallout of a situation. If you are mad at someone, you can leave a nasty comment on their Facebook wall. If you want to break up with your boyfriend, but don’t want to deal with the tears, you can shoot him a text.
The truth is, this solution only delays and amplifies the fallout. Now you have to deal with the original fight and explain the nasty Facebook post. Or you get the bad rap of being the girl who breaks up with guys via text. Hiding behind technology shows a lack of courage, and will only come back to haunt you in the end.
“Sorry I rear-ended your car, but I HAD to send this funny text to my friend.”
Texting and emailing while driving has become a dangerous pastime in this country. Actually, there’s a wide range of distracting activities people do while driving, but texting seems to be the most rampant. A whopping 81 percent of Americans admit to texting while driving, while around 30 percent of accidents are caused by texting while driving.
Bottom line: if your eyes aren’t on the road, you are being a reckless driver. You’re controlling a large, heavy piece of machinery, one that can crush an old lady or a group of girl scouts in a split second. If a message is so important that you have to send it right away, pull over to the side of the road before you text. It’s just safer.
“I know all my friends and family can see my Facebook updates, but I NEED to tell everyone how drunk I am right now.”
Facebook and Twitter have expanded the definition of TMI. Over-sharing has become a way of life for most, and most people have little concern about how it might affect them later in life. Everything is searchable online these days. Want to post a status about how you were drunk and danced on a table at happy hour? Think about how it might affect a job search down the road.
If you really must share every detail of your life with the world, at least set up a filter system within Facebook to limit what your family and coworkers can see. Set your privacy settings on all your social networking tools to the highest setting. You will save face with your family and possibly save your job.
