Yakoubian 1

Nina Yakoubian
Professor Bodek
Research Paper
30 November 2015

How Technology Affects Us

Whatever happened to social etiquette? While eating out recently, a multigenerational

family of six came in and sat nearby. The grandfather sat at one end of the table with his two
grandsons around the ages of 9 and 12. Both boys never took their eyes off their devices
throughout the entire meal. At one point the grandfather seemed to ask a question to which
neither responded. At last, submitting to defeat, he shifted places in order to engage in actual
conversation with the adults (Kenney). Technology effects us tremendously whether we as
consumers of technology want to believe it or not. It never occurred to me that addiction isn't
only just for drugs or alcohol, but the little hand held device that is always in my hand.
Technology has positively impacted the economy, health, and environment of countries
throughout the world.

Economically beneficial, technology provides a big growth when it comes to the new
technology that comes out ever year. For example, Apple comes up with new products every year
whether its iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch, or Apple Tv. Millions of products get sold out
worldwide. As for iOS, Apple said it has sold over 800 million iOS devices 100 million iPod

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touches, 200 million iPads, and over 500 million iPhones. That's up from 700 million iOS
devices shipped at the end of September 2013 (Ingraham). This passage shows how much
buyers there are buying products from Apple, which is an extraordinary amount. This is also just
one company, there are a lot of other significant companies selling many products which go hand
in hand with the economy mass producing our countries budget. Not only does Apple participate
in the growth of our economy but so do other big companies such as Samsung, Foxconn, HP,
IBM, and Microsoft. Technology can create direct job creation, For example The ICT sector is,
and is expected to remain one of the largest employers. In the US alone, computer and
information technology jobs are expected to grow by 22% up to 2020, creating 758,800
new jobs. In Australia, building and running the new super-fast National Broadband Network
will support 25,000 jobs annually. Naturally, the growth in different segments is uneven. In the
US, for each job in the high-tech industry, five additional jobs, on average, are created in other
sectors. In 2013, the global tech market will grow by 8%, creating jobs, salaries and a widening
range of services and products (Kvochko). This passage shows how that not only do these major
technological companies help the economy but also helps the unemployment rate to decrease
more and more.

In this day and age, it does not come as a surprise that the larger the technology industry
grows, the arising of new companies and software grow as well, showing they go hand in hand.

Technology and social networking has been a phenomena for quite some time here in the
US. It is very useful and can be addicting, but is it causing us harm into our health? When theres

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repetition of fast movement of another world, it can change the way our brain works over time.
Technology today can cause ones attention span to shorten whether it used to play games, text
nonstop, or use social media. About 42% of people worldwide have an active access to the
internet (Kemp) using social media websites such as Facebook which, if used too much, can drop
effects on ones health. For instance, in todays world, more and more kids are being handed
iPads and iPhones so they can occupy themselves playing games. The noises and bright lights
can cause young children to only focus when something interesting (to them) is happening
(Mackey 1). This type of disorder can have a real effect on kids and their ability to learn and pay
attention in school. Verbal interactions can influence the way a person can interact in real life.
Interactions in real life can be a let down to kids because interactions from screen to screen
might not be as good as face to face conversations and can alter ones brain effecting their mental
health. Now a days, every thing is online and it can help kids improve on their ability to use a
computer. But, it lowers their motivation to speak without using a computer and to know how to
do that is very impotent in anyones future.

There are many causes and effects of technology that have impacts on the environment.
In the article of Unwanted Electronic Gear Rising in Toxic Piles portrays the causes and effects
of electronic waste come from home to home to be left and abandoned. These unwanted
monitors that are being left on road sides and landfills effect our environment and are being
taken into warehouses that are left spreading toxins in the air. Not only is it hazardous to the air
we breathe but can become a hazard to the water we drink. The author talked about many
different causes and effects (and here are a few).

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People are not being liable for their old monitors that they don't want anymore. Stated in
the article, a prediction was made that soon these electronics will become a liability to the
owners. Glass that are apart of electronics contains lead and are a safety hazard. The effect of this
that garbage is getting left out and piled umpire and more which is causing more lead from the
glasses to be released into the air and anything else. Owners or recycling warehouses are
abandoning their warehouses because lots of smaller recyclers are in over their heads and the
risk that they might abandon their stockpiles is very real (Urbina). In result to this, if such
stockpiles have been abandoned the state and the electronic companies worry they have to pay
for part of this. This causes more debt to the state and the companies whose electronics are
involved because of people who should be but are not liable over their store bought items. In my
opinion it is not the fault of these major companies that are selling these technological products
but the owners themselves that are causing harm to the environment. Liability has become a
problem when people aren responsible for their own electronics.

In conclusion, technology has become a big part of our lives, the lives of young children,
and the lives of this whole earth. Electronics are used everyday whether its used on ones free
time, work time, or for learning. It effects the lives of our country and countries all around the
globe. Technology has positively impacted the economy, health, and environment of countries
throughout the world.
Work Cited

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Ingraham, Nathan. "Apple Has Sold More than 800 Million IOS Devices, 130 Million New IOS
Users in the Last Year." The Verge. The Verge, 2 June 2014. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.

Kvochko, Elena. "Five Ways Technology Can Help the Economy."AGENDA. AGENDA, 11 Apr.
2013. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.

Urbina, Ian. "Unwanted Electronic Gear Rising in Toxic Piles." NY Times. NY Times, 18 Mar.
2013. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.

Barbara Kenney,. "Tethered to Technology." The NY times. The Ny Times, 3 Oct. 2015. Web. 30
Nov. 2015.

Kemp, Simon. "Statistics." We Are Social RSS. News, 21 Jan. 2015ne. Web. 08 Dec. 2015.

Mackey, Robert. "Is Social Networking Killing You?" The Lede Is Social Networking Killing
You Comments. The New York Times, 24 Feb. 2009. Web. 08 Dec. 2015.