How We Are Becoming Slaves to Technology

Summary

The article discusses the enslavement of society to technology, highlighting its negative impacts on our thinking, privacy, culture, security, and consciousness.

Abstract

The author of the article argues that the internet and related technologies, once seen as tools for liberation, have instead become means of domination by tech giants, leading to a form of modern slavery. The article outlines six ways in which technology enslaves us: it influences our thoughts and behaviors, erodes privacy, imposes a dominant culture, enables totalitarian control, creates an unhealthy dependency, and diminishes human consciousness. The piece calls for awareness and a willingness to change our patterns of technology use to mitigate these negative effects.

Opinions

The internet and social media platforms like Google, Facebook, and Instagram are subtly shaping our thoughts and actions, leaving little room for individual exploration.
The erosion of privacy is a significant concern, with teenagers particularly vulnerable to cyber threats such as stalking, bullying, and misuse of personal information.
The spread of a dominant culture through technology is seen as a form of cultural colonialism that threatens to overshadow unique cultural heritages.
Technological surveillance, as exemplified by the situation of the Uyghurs in China, is a violation of basic rights and is becoming increasingly pervasive worldwide.
Despite the freedom and convenience technology offers, it has created an unhealthy dependency, likened to the relationship between a slave and master.
The author laments the decline of human consciousness, as people prioritize virtual realities and social media influence over real-world engagement and ethical considerations.
While acknowledging the benefits of technology, the author emphasizes the need for society to be aware of and prepared to disconnect from technology's toxic influences.

6 Proofs We Are Becoming Slaves to Technology

A dangerous tool of domination instead of liberation

The internet is our fav drug. A means of domination by giants such as Google, Facebook, Netflix, Instagram, or Tiktok. Those who were around before the internet frenzy hit us know that this technological tool has landed with us differently than anything they had ever seen or imagined. Even though our lives were no better before but at least we weren’t slaves to the virtual world around us. Think about it — every kid you see these days prefer their own virtual world rather than socializing with others of the same age. And with the emergence of the ‘metaverse’, I am already foreseeing how it will do more harm than good. The internet’s content, impacts, resources, knowledge, and provocation have been steering the world in many directions — mostly enslaving us to the deepest and darkest core of its center. How do you ask? here’s how:

Changes in the ways we think

Thousands of products, people, and patterns on social media are exploiting our human psyche — trying to make us fit for this world. We are being subtly enslaved to think, act and do things a certain way by following certain people. If we don’t comply, then we become outcasts really quickly. This leaves us with no room for exploration. Even this article is somewhat making you believe that you are part of modern-day slavery — yes, creepy I know. I wish we could make our imagination run wild and not cage it within a certain box of mentality.

Dissappearing privacy

The social media craze among teenagers has made them vulnerable and subjected to feeling the need to grow up in an ever-expanding world. Stalking, cyber-attacks, bullying, and misuse of information are some of the threats that play with people's privacy. We see. We believe. We don’t evaluate. We give in. This has become an everyday norm. We should be more aware of what, where, when, and who we share things with — and make our lives worthwhile.

A different type of colonialism

Think about the way technology transcended various cultures and communities. However, there’s also a bit of a culture clash happening in our society where a more dominant and liberal mentality is sweeping over everyone’s lives and feed. If this continues, there will be very little we can do to preserve sophisticated culture and heritage. We should try and limit strange influences on unique cultures that once were highlights of history books.

Totalitarian control in the name of ‘security measures’

Take the example of the Uyghurs in China who are facing one of the worst genocides in the history of the modern world. Their lives have been strictly controlled, monitored, and spied upon both in the name of ‘re-education’ and ‘security measures’. Huge databases store all kinds of information that can be used against them in so many ways. It’s both scary and a violation of basic rights. This controlled surveillance is not just happening in China but various other places in the world — in the most sensitive ways that we can’t even imagine.

Believing that ‘tech liberates us’

Perhaps the biggest impact that technology has on us is the freedom it provides us with. Sure you can consult your smartphone super quickly when you have the need, but the way we are dependent on it isn’t healthy. This has a direct impact on people's ambitions, goals, and pathways in life. Technology does help us in wondrous ways — but think about it, it has chained us to increasingly rely on it just like a ‘slave is on its master’.

The decline of human consciousness

Young people are mostly controlled with the dogma of ‘faith’ and ‘influence’ in the era of social media. With the increasing availability of tech-based services, people are becoming less aware of their surroundings and more dependent on virtual realities. The concepts of morality and ethical grounds are slowly taking backseats in the realm of social media. I have seen more people documenting crisis situations than actually helping out in times of need — this says a lot of the enslavement of our minds and actions than anything else.

Don’t get me wrong — I am in no way against technology. It definitely has made the world a better and safer place. The only concern is whether we are ready to unplug our bodies and minds when it requires us to. This modern slavery is deeply rooted in our lives and there is very little we can do to change this. But we need to ask ourselves are we at least aware? This question only matters if we are ready to change our behavior or patterns of toxic impacts. In other words, if we realize that certain types of technology reliance are a problem then we need to gradually gauge the ramifications it has in our lives.

If you have read and understood this article then you actually have completed the first step. You are conscious of what is happening and that is one of the most important things you can do.