From the early stages of civilization, human beings have always been interde
pendent,
and hunting and have always lived in groups. Slowly these groups accumulated and so
cial
connections grew, turning little groups into bigger communities, civilizations, and so on. Though the entire human race has the same roots across the planet, mankind has drifted into forming groups with commonalities and like-mindedness and hence grown apart in the name of state, countries, languages, or religion.
Human beings have extraordinarily evolved brains that can comprehend and un
derstand complexities and multi-dimensions. Evolution has made tactile touch pleasurable and it also induces a sense of connection and security. A soft touch or a warm hug can go a long way in relea
sing feel-good hormones such as serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin that boost happiness and reduce stress. Eye contact also is known to bring in a sense of intimacy that enhances connections felt between two people during interactions.
However, with the advent of technology, the idea of touch, eye contact, or rea
l-life conversations that are mostly analog has now inevitably turned virtual. This has resulted in a change in the intensity with which we connect with one another and hence may lead to a loss of personal b
onds an
d intimacy in real-life conversations. It has also been found to have resulted in an increased rate of anxiety, stress, body-image issues, and depression mainly among a younger demographic.
While the rapid spread of technology seems to be a bane, it’s also a boo
n in its own way. On one hand with increased use of social media, cyberbullying, unethical porn being easily accessible, and having an overwhelming amount of possible mi
sinformation at the touch of a screen, there are also significant benefits to technology in terms of having access to helpful information, being able to seek help from the comfort of your own home, being
able to talk to each other from miles apart, get information track your health and sleep and so much more.
As a result, while it increases social anxiety, decreases real-life human connections, and is a significant reason for insecurities among people, it also helps improve authenticity, revive lost connections, reduces a lot of extra work, and helps you focus on the necessary things. Therefore, as human beings, we need to be mindful of our usage of anything.
Too much of anything in excess does us more harm than good and this is seen in all aspects of life not just the use of technology. Having a life outside of your mobile phone and social media is key to maintaining that balance of using technology today!
