Here is a difficult question – do we have a choice to use technology or not?

Imagine a typical day like any other: You wake up, snooze your alarm clock, and…what’s the first thing you do?

Probably turn on your smartphone. Even when heading towards the shower, or groping for a toothbrush, there’s a good chance that you now have your phone in your other hand—checking Facebook messages or narrowing your eyes half awake at the day’s first news.

Maybe you check the weather to figure out what jacket to put on as soon as you get notified about your scheduled meeting.

At your lunch break, you probably chat with your co-worker or return your phone again, scrolling for a few more posts before returning to work?

We must accept that human nature always seeks ways to improve and get more efficiency. And technology is the key. The tools we have access to have changed us so much that our present-day bodies literally cannot live without them.

Regardless of where we live, which ethnicity do we belong to, what language do we speak, we all want better lives and higher standards of living. Not so long ago, we had no access to e-books and smart-phones, or internet connectivity.

Today, you most probably read this blog on your phone or tablet. All these electronic devices increase the speed of spreading information. When it comes to employment, you must use your ‘’Google search’’ platform to look for a job, be that through job listing sites or LinkedIn. Once you find something that fits you, you go ahead and contact the employer via email, phone or Skype.

Again, you use technology to get your job situation sorted out.

Technology has created more job opportunities

Due to the internet, you now have access to hundreds of thousands of jobs. This is just an example of how the most important life situations are getting solved by the means of technology.

It’s a fact that for a lot of things in life we are now dependent on technology. For the employment situation, we can probably get newspapers to look at the job listings, but it will only slow down the process. Just imagine another situation with no phone access? The only solution will be walking door to door in the hope you get lucky and find a job. Some of you might say, but there are still some places in the world where people have no access to the internet and they still get by, right? Yes, there are. But technology does increase your chances.

Your probability of getting employment diminishes with each step that reduces your access to technology. The supporters of the idea that technology dictates the way we live, think about technology as inevitable. Saying inevitable means that ultimately, we think we are making a choice, but the choice we make is inevitable.

With no phone or internet access, you are limited in your opportunities.

The more you get, the more you have a chance to progress in life.

Of course, you can elect not to use them, but the reality is that you will struggle to get that job. That’s why some countries in Africa, especially poor and disconnected communities people have very little choice.

The bottom line is, technology is not going anywhere and will likely get more and more advanced. Maybe the right question would be what we decide to do with it?

How to find the right balance?. It’s up to you to pick up or leave the smartphone at home for a day, for two, for even a week.

Who knows? You might live without technology for good.

The answer to the question, ” Can you leave without technology? ”, is yes.

You can live without technology, but you will definitely have fewer choices in life.

Tell me what technology means in your life, and how do you use it? Share your ideas on how technology helps you to have a better life?