Will technology lead to the downfall of the human race?

1. Will technology lead to the downfall of the human race?

2. Intro. • Technology is becoming a bigger part of our daily lives whether we like it or not. From the time we wake up in the morning to the time that we go to bed we are constantly engaged in technological devices. This includes everything from cell phones, computers, cars, television, and videogames, to the food and drinks we consume. Technology is infinitely expandable and is only limited to what has not been discovered or created yet. Virtually all aspects of modern society require technological interactions; these interactions are beneficial or harmful depending on the situation.

3. Surrogates • This is a movie in which machines called surrogates are created. Surrogates are essentially a robotic representation of a human, so detailed that it is hard to distinguish between the two. The user sits in a high tech chair that enables them operate the surrogate, they see what it sees, have full range of bodily motion, but have no physical feeling. The use of surrogates in everyday life seems to create higher standard of living in the sense that crime and disease levels drop. Although these are beneficial to society, the use of surrogates allow deeper more harmful problems to arise. • The surrogates are created to suit the ideal image of the consumer. There are few restrictions on what the surrogate can look like, for example an overweight male can purchase a sexy blonde female. Ultimately the surrogates provide a disguise for the user enabling them to be whatever they like. After prolonged surrogate usage physiological problems arise within the user. People begin to feel naked or ugly when they are not using their surrogate because they do not see themselves when they look in the mirror. Social interactions without surrogates become rare and in the instances that they do occur the people are socially awkward and uncomfortable.

4. The picture on the left shows the human and he is operating the surrogate on the right.

5. Wall-E • Space is said to be man’s final frontier. In the future it is impossible to deny the fact that humans will be forced to live in outer space. Several reasons could lead to this, Wall-E depicts the scenario in which the earth is destroyed because of the pollution created by technological advancements. The human race declines significantly and who ever is left is forced to live in space. The daily lives of the people are drastically changed due to technology. It controls every aspect of their life and has allowed them to live without actually doing anything. Simple tasks such as walking or making food becomes obsolete. Technology has caused their society to be very unhealthy.

6. The people in the ship get around on high tech hovering chairs eliminating the need to walk and use their legs. After prolonged use all the humans are obese and have adapted to sitting in the chair.

7. Health and Technology • Technology has drastically shaped the way our society operates over the last forty years. It has significantly changed the way that we conduct our daily lives, from the way we receive information and news to the food we consume. Technology has also twisted the way people go about preparing for careers. More people are preparing for jobs in front of a computer screen instead of one that is physically demanding. Technology is causing our lifestyles to become more sedentary. According to the surgeon general, “In 1999, 13% of children aged 6 to 11 years and 14% of adolescents aged 12 to 19 years in the United States were overweight. This prevalence has nearly tripled for adolescents in the past 2 decades.” The obesity epidemic in America is a huge problem that continues to grow and the only thing that can stop it is a drastic change in our lifestyle.

8. Television • Television is fast becoming the main source of information and entertainment in our society. According to the surgeon general “43% of adolescents watch more than 2 hours of television each day.” Big name companies spend millions of dollars developing state of the art television sets so that we spend more time watching them. This piece of technology has revolutionized the way our daily lives operate , but is it for the best? The more time we spend in front of the television, the more harm we do to our body. The human body is designed for activity and a lack of it can lead to a number of physical and emotional problems.

9. Food • Technological advancements in the way that we produce and consume food has drastically changed over the past couple of decades. In the past home cooked healthy meals containing unprocessed goods were the primary way we consumed our food. Now, technology has caused the popular form of food to be processed goods. Processed foods are cheap and easy for companies to produce, but they generally contain high levels of salt, sugar, and preservatives all of which are bad for the human body. The primary producers of processed foods are big corporations. These food are generally lower in price and more readily accessible. Daily consumption of these foods will lead to serious health problems. Heart disease and diabetes are two of the leading killers in the United States today, and poor nutrition leads to both of these.