Roger Harty: The Benefits Of Technology

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rsz_roger_hartyIt almost goes without saying to talk about the benefits that changes in technology have brought to our lives.

I suppose we could go back in history and firstly look at the invention of the wheel, then perhaps the industrial revolution and then the introduction of ‘mass production’ by one Henry Ford.

It has particularly advanced food production which is so necessary in the times we live in, seeing that the population of the world has increased from one billion to circa eight billion in the last 200 years.

Gigantic tractors and combine harvesters are now being used to sow and plough fields instead of an ox pulling the jawbone of a buffalo.

A yarn told about an Irishman who returned home on vacation from America can give a humorous insight into changes in this country. His parent’s family organised a barbeque to celebrate his return and he remarked “when I left these shores we used to eat inside and do ‘our business’ outside and now we’re eating outside and doing ‘our business’ inside.”

Without doubt I suppose the greatest changes that have happened of recent years are the way we communicate with each other.

I can distinctly remember being in France about 25 years ago and I was flabbergasted at the notion that you could put a sheet of paper with written information into a machine in France and that a copy of same could be read in Tralee 30 seconds later.

What I had witnessed was my first fax machine which now has been practically replaced by the email.

A nostalgic examination of the music industry would take us from the gramophone to 68 records to LP’s to cassette tapes to CD’s  to minidisk and now thousands of songs can now be stored in tiny megabyte storage gadgets the size of a cornflake.

The simple television has gone from black and white to colour and then the introduction of the video recorder, DVD recorder and now the latest smart televisions are no different to your modern computer. All types of films and worldwide information can be accessed instantly.

I haven’t yet touched on the whole computer iPad and smartphone industry which have radically changed our lives over the last 20 years. Even as I write this article now I am aware that it can be read by thousands of people this time tomorrow all over the world with a few pushes of a button.

The computer industry make these devices easier and easier to use for the simple reason that they want more and more people to have access to them and the magnificent access to information that they allow us at our fingertips.

For instance anyone interested in a recipe can access it in seconds and it is also great for getting information on a medical illness or a ‘how to do it’ type of video on youtube.

Long ago a youngster could ask his mother or father “Who is God” and parents could spend hours trying to explain God and his infinite powers whereas the easy answer nowadays is to say ‘Google it’!

One of the really great benefits of the computer age is the whole area of Skype and Facetime etc. Many people now travel very far away e.g. Australia and New Zealand to live and work.

A hundred years ago there was such a thing as an ‘American Wake’ for  people who travelled afar because it was felt that they might never be seen again. This was accompanied with great sadness for obvious reasons.

Now grandparents and parents can talk and see their children and grandchildren at ease, so much so that they almost ‘know them’ when they meet up in the flesh. This type of technology has brought so much joy to so many families and it is wonderful to see.

So all of this technology has brought wonders to our lives, but if I may I would like to add one little rider. A computer is still a machine and it should be regarded as such – it does not possess the capacity to store emotions and feelings unlike the most glorious gift of all – the human body.

With modern technology I pose one question; Everyone is communicating but how many are actually connecting?

Next week I am going to write about ‘Wise Old sayings’!

• Roger Harty is a life coach and can be contacted on 087-6128336, on twitter at @Innerjoyz1 or by email rogharty@gmail.com

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