As I look at these questions I realize that I love technology and it has a huge influence on my life. Technology years ago was a dream or a privilege but now it is a necessity. I actually do not think that I could even think of my life without technology because that is how I grew up and that is what our world is changing into. Technology is one of the biggest fields in the world right now and is constantly thriving (I think that is why my mom wants me to minor in computer science). But beyond that technology always creates something new and our society always wants newest and best thing. So I do not need that new cell phone, or t.v, or mp3 player but I want it because it is better than my last. I know that I do not need anything else but that does not stop me. Today at lunch my friend said I want the Iphone 6 just because. I immediately thought back to this question knowing that she did not need the phone but only wanted it because it was new. I think that many people do not consider the environmental impact of these purchases. Personally I do not even think about the e nvironmental impact of all of these purchases.  I think we really need to make this issue nationwide and teach people about how they are impacting the environment.  I think to break my addiction I could use my phone less and only by items when I absolutely need them.

I totally agree with you. I don't think that I could get through the day without my iphone. But I also think that the technology today is getting out of hand, I went to a resturant few days ago and I saw a couple on a date and they were both looking on their phone and I thought to myself: why don't they just leave their phones at home and try to have a good night together, away from everything.

I agree with you, I don't think I could live without technology. The thing is, technology is doing so many great things, for example on the medical field.  All the new instruments and the tools they use today make it  a lot easier for doctors, nurses and other staff to heel and help people.  I know, technology might be getting out of hand, but we can't forget the fact that technology has changed our lives, in a good way in my opinion.

I completely agree with the both of you technology is a blessing and a curse.  Technology is giving us so many new opportunities and ideas but we are also losing so much one on one contact with each other.  We are forgetting how to talk to each other at a dinner table.  My mom always says that technology is going to the rule world and that soon we will not be able to talk in person.  I understand technology has changed our lives and I think personally in a good way as well but I do think that we still need a balance of personal interaction and computer activity because many people are out of control.  I am just so curious to see what the future holds.  I know I grew up with technology but I wonder one day will my children laugh when I say I had the first iphone or I actually had to drive my car and it was not automatic.

I have to agree. Technology is getting in the way of how we communicate. I don't own a smart phone but I do have a form of a phone. I don't have all those fancy apps either but then again I always have my phone somewhere close in case I get a text. The way we rely on a piece of hardware that literally holds our secrets and has to have more security than our own home is scary. It makes me ask myself if it is necessary to have a cell phone with apps, games, and social network. Even for me, taking my phone away for a day or two would be a challenge.

I have a bunch of technological gadgets and I think technology is no longer a want but a need. In today's society if you do not know how to work a graphing calculator or a computer then you are considered "old school". Every job now seems as if it requires you to use some kind of electronic device. I love my gadgets but then again I think we sometimes abuse them. We overuse them too much instead of doing math on paper we use a graphing calculator and no longer have to know how to solve the problem. This past year I worked at an elementary school and I had a fourth grade student who didn't know how to tie his shoes but knew how to operate an iPad. Technology is teaching this upcoming generation that you don't have to know the basics anymore to be successful.  Here is a link about a spoken word that was posted last week in regards to technology that really made me think! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRl8EIhrQjQ

Here is another link entitled "As Technology Gets B etter, Will Society Get Worse"
http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/ … -get-worse

I think that technology is less of a question of how many people own these technologies than what those millions of people do with said technology. With this technology, we are given the opportunity to do great things and innovate towards a more energy-efficient world. Instead of criticizing the nation for wanting all of these great technologies, we should start focusing our attention on teaching the youth of the world what they should be doing with the technology. If we all take that small step towards the right direction, a whole new generation of innovators can be raised with the common goal of finding an end to our energy problems. It all starts with the simple steps of teaching and raising awareness.

I have also noticed the addiction to technology in our society. I think of it as an environmental concern.

A PBS article titled

Honestly, I do not have the latest smartphone or laptop. And the people who do have them are probably not getting an award for it. It is understandable that there are people on this planet that dedicate their lives to technology - which is cool and interesting because I partially consider myself one of those people. But just imagine : there will be a day in time, where even the poorest people will have smartphones. And  they shall be much more advanced than they are today, as well as something very regular. Are big stock market competitors Samsung and Apple going to be able to make one for perhaps every human being? I do not think so. As Kendall mentioned, rare Earth elements are used in the making of such phones, which is quite frankly true. And, if you think about it from a simple perspective, every single object that has been created by man, has come from the Earth or some living organism. (Fur and leather). So when we take away all the productions of technology going on, there will still be a number of raw materials and resources that are constantly being used in our  day to day life for BASIC technology. Examples are trees for wood, paper, furniture, architecture, and probably a million other uses. Now, when you add the production of technology back into this scenario, what could be seen is an excessive amount of rare Earth materials disappearing behind a smartphone, tv, laptop etc. - and sooner or later, we are all going to want to upgrade to new versions. I am sure that a few days later after you get that technology, you will feel like it is old...but it is not. I believe that old is gold, and using any technology that works efficient, would definitely be the kind I want. Unless I crack me display with a hammer, which is a totally different story.
The point though, is that besides the rare elements, a cell phone can harm US humans. Obviously, it is something we all get addicted to, and cannot imagine life without - but it is possible, and you live! But the wireless world with the whole internet system and wireless communications traveling through microwaves in our atmosphere, surround us 24/7. Just using technology by charging a phone, or printing a paper, energy is used. And it is true that Carbon dioxide is being burned. In fact, every time your Google something, a little amount of CO2 is released. And almost the whole world uses this search engine. In that case, we all are responsible for these CO2 emissions. The scary thing is, that nowadays, we think it is a need, and is the number one most important thing. Little do we known that in the future, this technology could be controlling each and every one of our actions - unless we balance our use upon it.

Technology is an overall bold subject that some would spend the time to ponder upon while others may never care. the brutal truth is that technology is dumbing down our society. Like someone said above, " technology is teaching the upcoming generation that you don't have to know the basics anymore to be successful." This is obviously untrue. I think that technology is a blessing and a curse. Many believe they can't live without their phones, which I partially understand because today the world revolves around technology and it is necessary. But this is taken to an extreme level where people are so protective over their phones and most will have anxiety when they don't have it for one day. Someone above said " [ Isn't it scary ] that we rely on a piece of hardware that literally holds our secrets and has to have more security than our own homes..." And it's not only this. One of the largest things happening today is that we are forgetting how to communicate with one another. Were becoming unsocial, " Were a generation of idiots, smartphones and dumb people". its scary to  see a full train, yet know one speaks to one another. It's amazing that even children, since they were born, "have watched us living like robots and think it's the norm." The other day I went out to dinner with my dad and a large family sat down and some were on there phones while the other were talking. But what stood out to me the most was there was a little boy that looked about 5 or 6 caught up in his iPad while the entire family was in front of him...technology is going to rule the world, and sooner or later we won't be able to talk in person, face to face.   Smartphones have it all, a calculator, dictionary apps, maps, and google which can answer any question i have at the tap of a few buttons. So why read a book? Why learn how to do the math in you head and write it out on paper? Why actually uses a dictionary? Why learn how to read a real map that doesn't have a blue blinking dot pointing you in the direction to go? Why you may ask... because I refuse to conform to the level this society wants me to be at! I still have morals and I want to not have to rely on an object to spit every little answer at me. I'm not saying I don't also use it, trust me I'm very guilty of this, but every once in a while try to not rely on technology and enjoy what is around us. If you have 5 minutes I highly advise everyone to talk a look at this video if you have seen it already; even if you have it's great to watch it again as a reminder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7dLU6fk9QY
its called and the link is above: LOOK UP