Technology has led to immense growth and existence, even to the extent of creating human beings to challenge the supremacy of God, at least, I think so. Intrinsically, technology has a wide range of disadvantages. For example, spontaneous growth has simultaneously destroyed our water bodies, killing marine creatures and polluting water sources. Moreover, Lung cancer is a major disease killing most people due to inhaling poisonous gasses, greenhouse effects, and land pollution on a high scale together with desertification and global warming. To be honest, technology has promoted the growth of companies on a different level. Truth to be, technology is a lifesaver since there is a positive growth of things and good impacts on ‘individuals and the world at large but anything that has advantages has disadvantages as well.
One sunny afternoon, after eating a palatable lunch which was Jollof rice with chicken and salad. Everybody went inside to take their technological devices. Joyce, my eldest sister, took her iPhone 13 which was given to her by our uncle who had lived overseas for decades to communicate with her companions. I took my laptop to do some school work and Kelvin, who was our youngest brother, was using our mother’s phone to play Temple Run- which is a famous game that young boys normally like to play when they feel bored and Prince, our oldest cousin went out to play the jackpot with his rebellion allies.
“Gone were the days, there was no technology,”Auntie Esi shouted. “In my generation, my father’s generation, your step-father’s generation, my ex-husband’s generation, and my great great grandparents' generation, no technology existed,” she explained further.
Auntie Esi is the best friend of my aunt. She is also a retired professor. She just came back from the village to visit us and brought amazing gifts for Easter since it was fast approaching. My family is staunch Christians and we do not joke with the word of God.
Auntie Esi decided to use that afternoon to talk to us about technology. She decided to talk about the positive effects, negative effects, and ways to reduce all the negative effects. She was respected by all and sundry due to her intelligence. People feared her because it was believed that she had a high IQ(intelligence quotient).
“In my generation, there was no technology but I was able to climb to the top of the academic ladder. In our daily activities, we use technology in cooking, washing, and cleaning. Life is easier with technology, don’t you agree?. Technological devices like television and radio serve as a source of entertainment since music, telenovelas, Nollywood, and comedy just to mention a few are shown and listened to respectively. Through technology, communication is much easier but during my youthful days, if you wanted to send information to someone, who needed to take a bus, walk or other transportation means to reach the person and deliver the information it was time-consuming. An unforgettable incident occurred due to the absence of technology, vital information about robbers attacking someone was not able to reach the victim on time and this led to the person's untimely death since the robbers had access to the person and killed her instantly. At this point, I stayed glued to my chair, Joyce dropped her expensive phone on the couch, Kelvin finally let go of my mum’s phone and everyone focused their eyes on Auntie Esi in order to get a picture, vivid understanding of Auntie Esi’s life story. Technology provides electronic security, and storage of significant information for future use -she took a deep breath now and gulped coca cola. She continued, aside from all the benefits of technology, there are countless effects of technology which includes: the introduction of nuclear weapons and bombs which are destroying vital human life and properties, and lack of sleep -hmmm, Auntie Esi paused for a minute. ‘ One moment of silence’ she said.
“Children of this generation do not sleep, they are also using their technological devices 24h7, watching pornography at the mention of pornography, I bowed my head down because I feel shy and comfortable when one makes mention of it and Auntie Esi noticed it, and questioned me but I pretended if as all is well to prevent further question. Lack of privacy is another mind-blowing negative effect of technology, Joyce you can explain further I guess - Auntie Esi teased Joyce but Joyce lost her tongue and she said nothing due to shock as she was taking what Auntie Esi said into consideration so she was quiet and slow to thinking, I can prophesy. Again, Technology is a constant source of distraction,’ asem oo’ ‘ asem b3ba dabi’ she exclaimed in our local dialect( TWI). Students and most people in the universe rely on the internet as their major source of information, Joyce finally broke the silence and threw more light on it. ‘A common negative effect is that technology leads to neck pain and bad posture’, I said this with much courage since I spoke from experience. Auntie Esi yells ‘experience is the best teacher’, we all burst into controllable laughter. Technology promotes growth, I said and quickly the laughter ceased, and everyone looked in my direction. I started talking;
Growth is one of the life processes that everything undergoes whether unicellular or multicellular- cell biology can explain better. A cell is a basic unit of life and all living and nonliving things grow in size, height, and weight. Existence is the state or fact of having to be especially independent of human consciousness and as contrasted with non-existence.
Life is an aspect of existence that processes, acts, reacts, evaluates, and evolves through growth (reproduction and metabolism). Reproduction is the process of giving birth to offspring of the same kind, in most cases, technology is applicable because technological tools, devices, and equipment must be used for surgery to ensure safe delivery and save lives
I received a clapping and standing ovulation after talking. Auntie gave me a special golden necklace as a gift, I was so happy and overwhelmed.
It’s time to end the conservations so that everyone can finish their assigned duties but crown it all Auntie Esi called out. Technology is needed and helpful in our daily activities but you should limit its usage. Make use of your medulla oblongata, Auntie spoke scientifically to us. Work hard because hard work does not break bones but it pays when you work hard. In the olden days, no technology but I managed to read books from the libraries, listened attentively in class, determined, I had the can spirit that pushed me to realize my dreams. My children, a word to a wise is enough, Auntie Esi spoke proverbs to us.’ Had I known the philosophy of fools’ she continued to speak in proverbs because the elders speak to wise children in proverbs but not in many words.
We all hugged Auntie and thanked her for such a life-changing message. Prince appeared from nowhere and he was given the slap of his life by our dad since he has been advised on countless occasions to stay away from bad friends because a bad friend corrupts a good character but he paid no heed to it. Prince is a recalcitrant boy, I said to myself.
Comments