In such a rapidly advancing world, it is hard not to fall victim to the mesmerizing technology that has come about. Every time you turn on the TV there is an advertisement for a new device, whether it is the newest phone, the newest tablet or a computer.

But we really have to stop and ask ourselves: How is this affecting our world today?

As young children are developing, technology becomes a brain block, according to psychologytoday.com. Multiple studies they conducted concluded that children’s minds have been so negatively affected by the ever-changing world that they are now not developing things such as imaginative skills due to the rise of things such as television and the Internet.

“The advent of television altered that attention by offering children visual stimuli, fragmented attention, and little need for imagination,” psychologytoday.com said.

Is technology really as great as we think? In some ways, yes. But I think we need to take a step back and understand the negative affects it is having on our world today.

Instead of a parent giving their child an iPad when they cry, I think they need to go back to the old ways of handing them a toy, or something that could help with development of the child rather than something that is going to make them dependent on technology.

Moderation is key. Technology has helped our world advance in so many ways and it has made business boom. It is an important aspect of our lives and without it, the opportunities we have now would not be possible. But, as a society, we need to understand that the phone in our hand or the computer on our desk cannot be the center of our lives.

So many people have lost sight of what is truly important and some have distanced themselves so much from the world around them. We need to find the happy medium. We need to stop the individualistic culture we are becoming. Try to put down your cell phone, even just for an hour a day, and spend time with someone close to you — your best friend, your roommate or, most importantly, your family.

Our generation is the one being most negatively affected by the overuse of technology and it is so blinding that most people see no problem with it. While technology is a good thing, just like the old saying goes, “good things are good in moderation.” That applies to anything and I believe it applies here very well. We need to limit our use of technology now, so that we are able to function as a society without acting like robots.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the writer and are not representative of The Slate or its staff as a whole.

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