Article - Connecting Continents: Computers in Modern Society

© May 24, 2010

The personal computer has come a long way since its introduction in the 1970s. You can do virtually anything via the internet; including shopping, paying bills, and conducting business meetings. A person really never has to leave the house and this is why some argue that computers do more harm than good. However, like everything else in life computers come with advantages and disadvantages.

First, let’s look at the problems computers can cause in our society. One that shouts out to me is identity theft. It seems it is getting easier for hackers to steal someone’s identity but there are simple precautions people can take to protect themselves. For example, when shopping online make sure to use a secure website and don’t shop on a website you’re not familiar with. Of course you could just do it the old fashioned way and actually visit the supermarket.

Accessibility is another important issue. While 149 million people worldwide have internet access (Affonso) that’s only about 25% of the world’s population. Economic status, disability, and computer illiteracy are several factors that limit people’s access to computers.

There is also the negative effect that computers have on today’s youth. Clifford Stoll, author of Silicon Snake Oil: Second Thoughts on the Information Highway, believes “education requires interaction between good teachers and motivated students, and computers get in the way of this relationship.” He argues that “it is more important to teach analytical thinking and creativity than computer skills, even if computers are becoming prevalent throughout society.” (Winters) I don’t entirely disagree with this statement but if students did not develop their computer skills they would be lost when thrown into the real world. After all, that’s what an education is supposed to prepare students for. Besides that, I always thought creativity was something that an individual already possessed and could merely be taught how to use.

Computers themselves are not to blame for these problems, the users are. Technological advances that have been made in medical fields have saved countless lives. Communication is now possible with those in countries who were never able to reach out before.
Regardless of all the negative criticism computers receive, most of us wouldn’t know how to function without one. However, this sort of dependency can be problematic if, for some reason, we find ourselves without technology. It is up to each one of us as individuals to decide how computers can make a beneficial impact on our lives.

Source List
Winters, Paul A. “Introduction.” Current Controversies: Computers And Society. 2004 Aug. Web. 17 May 2010.

Affonso, Bob. Effect of the Internet On Social Skills: Is the Internet Affecting the Socail Skills of our Children? 1 Dec. 1999. Web. 17 May 2010.