Is Technology Making Learners Lazy?

by Hayden Mandalis (Spain), the second winner at the Fifth NinjaEssays Writing Contest

As time passes, we undoubtedly rely more and more on technology. Actually, we base our lives around technology so much; that I even wonder what it would be like if technology was gone. I have heard my parents and grandparents talking about a life without technology and it does seem interesting, but would we manage to cope if technology ceases to exist tomorrow?

I had an interesting conversation with my grandfather's best friend over a game of chess. When I started the subject, his eyes literally lit as this was the thing that was troubling him most. Technology has nowadays become a necessity and no story can really prepare us for what it would be like if technology did not exist right now. First of all, I would not be typing these words on my laptop.

The question of whether technology makes people lazy has been researched in a tremendous amount of case studies, surveys and researches. From the experiments and the studies conducted on this theory, laziness is confirmed to be a result of technology addiction and any person born and raised in the world of technology advancing every second of the day will understand this is they hear the words of a wise man.

First of all, when was the last time you went to the library and searched for research information in the books? The libraries are full with tons of information gathered for years and still, when we get an unfamiliar task, we always consult Google first. Even to look for books containing the information we need! The fact is, life before was much more active than now. This man who I was playing chess with did not get the chance to lie in his bed or sit on his desk and look for information. What he did was go through many books off the shelves until he found what he was looking for.

Do you feel lazy yet? If not, take the education into consideration. How do we expect for students to be less lazy and less addicted to the internet, when even the tasks for homework are often sent and posted online. The fact is, as technology advances, people find it unnecessary to worry about sharing information face-to-face. Nearly half of the conversations nowadays are held online. If you are a student and a part of a Facebook group that gathers your class, wouldn't you miss out on information about school if you deactivate your account? You sure will and even though internet is a great way of sharing information that would otherwise be impossible to spread, the excessive use of it makes us too lazy to communicate even if that information can easily be shared face-to-face. Why else would a teacher send you a task after the class ends and via social networks?

In the past, there were no automatic sandwich makers or French fries machines. People would have to cook their own food and if they wanted to eat it, there would be no excuse for them to be lazy. Calling your family on Skype of FaceTime was not an option back then. What you would have to do is visit them and have real conversation. Is that so bad? Not really, but do you do this often?

When speaking of shopping, technology has really advanced. People started by hunting food and got to a place where it is delivered to you weekly. My friend told me of a time when people had to go to the store to buy their food. Do you get up and go to the supermarket to buy some food or are you too lazy to shop?

‘I rode a bike and had bruises all over my body from falling down and fighting with the other boys'- he said. ‘ The only fight you have now is over who won at a computer game or whose phone is better.' Think about it – when was the last time you played hide and seek or drank water from a water hose? Actually, when was the last time you went out on a date without checking the person's photos and posts on the social networks?

If you do not do these things, you probably belong to a different time. I don't think I have ever met a person who does not rely on technology as a way to avoid something. My opinion is, technology has made us too lazy to even admit that or research on ways to improve it. Childhood memories mean so much more if they are spent on the street instead of in front of a tablet or a smartphone. The whole idea of finding this essay while goggling ‘technology and laziness' on the internet just shows how lazy you are. Why don't you go to the library and find a story of a published writer instead?