Since the invention of computers, they have continued to be a blessing in many ways and more specifically changing the lives of many people.
However, in as much as computers have changed the way people live and do things, it must also be emphasized that they are associated with negative effects. This paper, therefore, discusses the negative effects or drawbacks of computers in the lives of many people. In trying to explore this issue, the paper will also mention what proponents of computers say before refuting it.
Although many people may argue that use of computers help in enhancing education especially through research, when it comes to young people the reality is different. Use of computers reduces quality study time (Lin and Jin 411). That is to say, chatting, gaming and other social related software are highly tempting in the eyes of young people.
As a result, this significantly eats into their study time. In the end, the effort he or she may devote to education is virtually insignificant. In short, for a nation or its people to reap a sizeable output out of something is to invest heavily. Therefore, spending less time on education-related matters can affect one negatively in the future.
Computers tend making people be over-dependent (Bowers 115). That is, instead of thinking as it was the norm before computers were invented, people today can just find answers without difficulty on the Internet.
Additionally, spending more time on the computer can easily cause health effects like eye strain, mental disorders, and shortsightedness. What is more, according to psychological studies, being on computers for a long time can as well lead to depression and anti-social behavior, and this is mostly associated with young persons (Kassin, Fein and Markus 601).
Using computers affects the social lives of people. This is based on the fact that human beings are social animals and they live in a society that is highly interactive (Lin and Jin 411). That is, sharing his opinions, beliefs and ideas with other people play a very important role in his life. However, computers have completely cut him from this kind of life. He or she is completely isolated from the events of the real world.
In fact, he or she becomes slowly changed to becoming a machine that is lifeless. He or she just like computers will eventually start perceiving things in the context of numerals and numbers. In short, this argument does not underestimate the importance of computers.
In fact, computers can easily create unimaginable things and support man to reach the intended level of success. However, if not managed well, it can as well be the start of something whose end results may be dangerous.
The power a computer has over human beings is mesmerizing. Use of computers on a daily basis can easily lead people to commit atrocious crimes that have a negative effect on the natural environment. For instance, people are used to same things like socializing with the same people. Besides, people always want to do things that they are restricted.
The bes,t example is the tendency to access various sites or carry out certain activities malware, hacking, and even spamming, which are characterized as offenses under the law.
Moreover, the risks involved in talking with unknown people online or strangers have negatively affected the life of many people in the past. With this, the world must come to the realization that what people need is not a potential killer but something that contributes to the general development.
Whilst computers have a lot of benefits such as making clerical and computational work easy. It is undeniable that spending many hours on a computer may easily lead to idleness. As a general fact, laziness reduces the self-respect of the person (Cash and Smolak 446).
Laziness prevents someone from realizing and exploitation his or her innate skills. In fact, the approach that is slothful in nature is known to weaken the body making it unable to function properly. Therefore, in as much as computers have really changed the way people do things, but it also comes at a huge cost.
Even though most users of computer argue that it enhances communication and accessibility of information worldwide. They further argue that computers provide conveniences when it comes to using various programs like accounting programs, Microsoft Office and PowerPoint. The truth of the matter is that dependence on computers reduces one’s outlook.
Indeed, anyone who has been using or who has ever used other machines like typewriters understands the advantages that come with computers when it comes to heavy workloads. However, the argument here is that a prolonged usage or staying in front of a computer for a long time destroys one’s sense of intrinsic knowledge to that he or she can obtain from the Internet.
This makes him or her less responsive to real life activities whilst he or begin nearly all things as simulated. With this, someone can easily be labeled as an introvert or even contemptuous. His or her life remains tightly held on an imaginable line, that is, hanging somewhere between appearance and reality.
Computers negatively affect one’s creativity. This is because when people want to write assignments these days, they can easily ‘copy-paste’ someone work although is professionally illegal. The argument is that technology has greatly affected the thoughts to a point where they cannot afford to carry out some additional studies on their own.
Every human being is born with skills that are inherent and ingenious. Channeling creativity in a proper way can take people far. In any case, intelligence is not just about relying on the works which belong to other people. Intelligence entails making use of one’s abilities to provide new information to the world as well as helping in organizing the proper or solid base to accomplishment.
The argument here is that, in so doing, one’s insights and thoughts could be of great help to a developing nation when compared with the resources offered by computers. In short, the present day computer era is highly limiting the flow of idea and thoughts.
In conclusion, in as much as computers are highly acclaimed for what they have done and what they continue doing, the computer is associated with many drawbacks that negatively impact human life. As it has been seen from the discussion, computers reduce people into mere machines making them unable to do any work without them.
Not enough, computers are associated with dangers such as psychological diseases, crime, laziness, lack of creativity, impact on social life and reduction in outlook. The list is not exhaustive as computers are still being used and these continue to affect people in different ways.
Works Cited
Bowers, C. Let them eat data: how computers affect education, cultural diversity, and the prospects of ecological sustainability. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2000.
Cash, Thomas and Linda Smolak. Body image: a handbook of science, practice, and prevention. New York: Guilford Press, 2012.
Kassin, Saul, Steven Fein and Hazel Markus. Social psychology. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2014.
Lin, Sally and David Jin. Advances in computer science, intelligent system and environment. Berlin: Springer, 2011.