FINALLY, slowly but surely, the world is getting to know ill-effects and side-effects of overuse, misuse and abuse of technology -- particularly in regard to young generations that are named variously such as Gen Z(ee) or Gen Alpha. Research is coming out with inferences that young generations are quite vulnerable to ill-effects and side-effects of overuse, misuse and abuse of technology -- sociologically or culturally or spiritually. Time it is now for the larger society to think seriously about its response to these challenges. Digital platform LinkedIn has published a report of a worldwide finding that young people who tend to use various technological Apps or devices beyond logical limits are often shy of connecting with people socially. The survey says that these young people may be deeply interested in connecting with people technologically, all right, but would be very shy of connecting actually, personally and socially with those who could be truly helpful to them to garner better career opportunity.

 

The LinkedIn research has found out that this unwillingness to have a reasonable social connect is a gist of over-dependence on technology. When they connect through technology, the young people have the advantage of being away and even unseen in many cases. But when they connect with people socially and personally, they are afraid of getting judged by others. This shyness is a gift of technology’s ill-effects on human mind. Most unfortunately, the young people who indulge in overuse of technology are incapable of striking intelligent conversation with others. In that manner, they are often known to be ignoring social norms and importance of having personalised connect with others. They do thrive in the anonymity that technology may offer to those who seek it. But when they are confronted by actual people, the young men and women tend to feel mentally insecure. Hence their attempt to avoid social connect. There are medical, ill-effects, too, of overuse of technological tools such as hearing buds. They bring right into the ears the noises of people’s talks or speeches on digital platforms or music or anything. When an amplified sound is let loose straight into the ears, the individual starts losing his hearing-capacity. Doctors used to warn us against this particular ill-effect -- in addition to the ill-effect on eyes when a child’s screen time happens to be more than 10-12 hours every day.

 

When these initial warnings came -- from Doctors or social workers or journalists -- the larger society ignored those by describing the warnings as signs of backwardness. Unfortunately, all those warnings now appear to be coming true. The loud-thinker, however, has been issuing words of caution against overuse of technology -- for years. Yet, the larger society often found that caution a representation of a backward mindset. Latest findings have now begun blaming abuse of technology -- which may awaken the larger society now. If the society wakes up again, these dangers and risks, it can still be staved from having ill-effects of overuse of technology when it may not even be required. The efforts of schools, colleges and families should be on calibaretdly reducing screen time for people of all generations so that technology’s ill-effects are avoided. A lot of social damage can thus be saved from taking place. For this to happen, leaders of the society will have to take the lead in bringing together various social leaders and influencers in the form of a sustained campaign. Are we willing to do that ?