Skip to content Skip to navigation

Technology - boon or bane!

The modern world despite all its technological innovations and inventions has not been successful in keeping human beings on earth together. We have the best gadgets, technologies and the rest of it but these have not been able to serve the purpose as the world is increasingly becoming a community centric place, each claiming their own place under the sun. Each nation is trying to assert their superiority and authority over others and the oddest side to this game is that these nations have communities inside them who too are seeking independence and sovereignty. The latest among them is United Kingdom (UK) where Scotland is going for a referendum this month to seek independence from the UK and add as a new country into the European Union (EU). If the September 18 referendum favors creation of Scotland as an independent state then Great Britain will certainly not remain as great as it is today. Britain, which ruled the world through its colonialism will be a fractured democracy despite being a member of the EU and geographically located in one of the most advanced parts of the world. But the question that haunts is advancement, unbelievable technological development and all those stuffs that helps a nation boast of at the first place is enough to keep the union going. Well, no matter whatever is the reason but these world developments indicates that preserving racial identities is a global concern now followed by the role of politics, businesses and what comes next in this list.

Although, sovereignty of any state will have a higher degree of politics and people’s will involved but what about families, neighborhoods, public institutions and all those classifications that is centered around humanity. They are faltering like ninepins, be it anywhere in the world, from the northeastern part of India to Africa to Europe, Middle East, in fact the world as a whole. Technology which is shaping up human lives in every possible manner, unimaginably, is also the bane here. If we see the use of social networking in recent times, it has created more friction in societies over the world than the good that it was designed with. Countries like China have come up with their own set of legislation towards use of such sites but this undreamed of freedom of expression is sinking more into the world of spreading hatred, jealousy, igniting comments, fanaticism and the rest which has created commotion and has even taken lives in many nations. Mischief mongers, groups with extremist motives use these platforms as it is very easy to open a fictitious account and do maximum harm, all but free. The time has come when users must be asked to produce documents, as required while opening bank accounts, to create email and social networking accounts given the number of misuse and damages that these ‘camouflaging’ mediums are producing on a daily scale. It cannot go on and on like what it is now where nuisance is going unabatedly as these forums have become safe heavens for them. No matter how good the intentions are but it cannot be denied that these mediums are playing mischief and has divided this world more than the wars and crimes it has seen.

We cannot deny the fact that most of these technological developments have truly taken place in advanced countries, mostly in America and Europe. If we analyze their use, form and freedom they are actually developed targeting the free economy and people of these nations. For an average American or a European, it is “cool” to say and post comments, which is a trend in their societies. Now, if some of these comments create any type of fissure in the country then they have a holistic legal framework in place to correct them. But in countries, outside the parent countries where these technologies are developed, it may not be in sync at the first place and the increasing animosities, trapping to false mails, creating law and order issues are some that is constantly reported in countries in Asia and other parts of the world. It has to be understood that technologies are after all the manifestation of intelligence inside a human brain and that manifestation may not necessarily work well all the time at all places until and unless it is a divine sanctity. What one cannot say, write or speak in regular frontline media, these social networking sites are thus allowing public to vent their anger with the most foulest of language never ever seen in any public domain earlier because it is just enough for the owner of such sites to escape prosecution with a nondescript disclaimer that any comments posted are not the views of these sites. In fact this disclaimer is the root cause of the danger associated with these sites. How absurd it is that the owners of such sites are roaming scot-free whereas a slightly absurd comment in the regular media, bosses are taken to task. The comments made in the social networking sites are not confined to specified geographical boundaries as seen in case of newspapers, television channels since they can be read and seen by anybody in any parts of the world and create local trouble. Their circulation is worldwide and so their bosses should be held more responsible for any problems that arises out of comments, videos and others postings in their sites.

 

The divided world, in which we live, where families are shortened to a pigeon hole, is actually the result of our efforts trying to instill technology practically in everything in our daily lives. We have literally become slaves instead of technology being our slaves. This penetration into critical areas of human lives, where a human touch can do much good than any technological interference, is changing the dynamics of our society. Today people tend to rely on technology more as they prevent themselves from every possible personal contact with fellow beings and keep that up through the use of gadgets citing pretexts of one thing or other. People say, “we will keep in touch” whereas a neighbor is seen conversing via technology instead of a possible meet. This virtual reality is the new reality now as good wishes, greetings, condolences and everything else are all but possible through technology. The gap thus remains since there is no alternative to human to human contact and technology can never fill up that gap. Technologies which are designed to simplify human lives on earth have rather complicated it alarmingly. We may get heart-attack, nightmares and the rest if we are asked to imagine our lives for a day without it. But then what good have technologies done instead of taking us away from our roots. A rootless civilization will not last and continue to rupture no matter how advanced is our technologies. It is like shielding the exterior more and more ignoring the vital interior which is collapsing all the time and will bring down everything, one day. The present world civilization is sustaining on this falling core.

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

Baihata incident: More a murder, less an encounter

22 Nov 2008 - 3:28pm | editor
Once again the recent encounter between army and ULFA in Baihata Chariali has mired in controversy. The ULFA cadre killed in Wednesday night encounter with police in Hindu Moujuli village has been...

Economic blockade continues

15 Aug 2014 - 9:30pm | AT News
The surface communication between Assam and Nagaland has come a grinding halt because of the economic blockade against the neighbouring state in protest against the Uriam Ghat incident where 11...

Assam truckers threaten indefinite strike

31 Jan 2009 - 2:32pm | editor
Assam truck owners may go on an indefinite strike, if the Meghalaya Government fails to curb 'illegal check gates' in the State.In a memorandum to Meghalaya Chief Minister, the Goalpara District...

One dies in road accident

20 May 2017 - 11:47pm | Ranjanjyoti Mahanta
One motorcyclist died on the spot  and another Critically injured in a road accident on the Nagaon-Dhing road near Bhetiani, Batadrava on Saturday afternoon. The accident took place when a mni...

Other Contents by Author

The entry of outsiders, particularly from across the international border into Meghalaya, and the rest of this region, cannot be curtailed with the aid of Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation or Inner Line Permit (ILP) – which is the demand of certain NGOs here. In fact we have to ascertain the ground realities and tune the demand accordingly. A poor Bangladesh will continue to push its people into India and look for livelihood avenues. We have recently heard a senator from USA who was countering enquiry about the steps taken by the Obama administration to deport hundreds of Mexicans who have reportedly sneaked into its territory. The senator said that the economic policies of Obama...
Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi’s two-day visit to the Himalayan state of Nepal, the first by an Indian PM in 17 years, has opened up a new chapter between these two Hindu nations on planet earth. Modi was conferred 19-gun salute as he became the first Head of State to address the Nepalese Parliament. A good orator and researcher who prepares himself well before addressing any gathering, there is perhaps nothing left which he hasn’t touched in his all inspiring speech that was well appreciated by the full parliament. He started in Nepali while continuing in Hindi. He said that the relationship between India and Nepal is as old as the Ganges while depicting the religious tradition of...
The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council's eviction of illegal traders in Shillong has earned both accolades and criticism from the public. Those who are showering praise are doing so merely out of joy as the non-tribals are targeted whereas criticism are also flowing from the same tribesmen – whose shops are let off to non-tribals – who are affected by the closure. The tribal owner is largely affected in the same way as the rented shopkeepers. So, in a way the condemnation that are flowing from so called NGOs are in reality against the tribal owners for having letting off their shops to the ‘outsiders’. But those who are praising the district council move have they ever tried to go into...
Now aspirants can avail direct Microsoft Certification in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access from Microsoft Headquarter, USA at Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Cultural Centre (RKMVCC), Shillong. This certification, known worldwide to equip students with a “cutting edge” in the world of information technology, will now be awarded to RKMVCC students following an approach by Microsoft to RKMVCC for Microsoft Certification through online examination. Swami Achyuteshanandaji Maharaj, Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission and in-charge RKMVCC while informing this on the 57th Convocation Ceremony of computer trainees of the institute recently to the jubilation of all said that the...
Nothing works in Meghalaya more than owning a land. And in this land, which is traditionally owned by the tribals – they can do whatever they like. And the way things are moving here the day is not far when such lands may well be used even for nuclear tests, as somebody opined lightly. This is indeed the sordid tale of the controversial land ownership system in Meghalaya where if you have coal, diamond, gold and the rest of it then the owner is not the government but the owner of the particular land where these natural resources are hidden. This is how the luckier lots in the state are making mind boggling sum of money by extracting and exporting coals but what they have forgotten in the...
The picture of history of the tortuous path of globalization and the heavy cost it has entailed were graphically depicted by Dr Rahul Varman, Professor, Department of Industrial & Management Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur and Dr Manali Chakrabarti, Honorary Adjunct Research Associate, Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata; Senior Fellow, Indian Council for Social Science Research and Guest Faculty, IIT, Kanpur at the Asian Confluence Centre at Shillong on Friday evening. Dr Varman and Dr Chakrabarti narrated the horrific tale of civilizations that are extinct now and those that are surviving amidst globalization in a talk titled “Balancing Development and...
There has always been an inclination among the commoners to know how much the political bosses who govern them earn. And in doing so, much of the real earning that these bosses take home gets lost in unnecessary gossip for want of accurate details. But that may be a thing of the past because Paycheck India, a research initiative at Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, has come up with a list of salaries of influential political leaders around the world. Paycheck India, which is connected to the international WageIndicator Network, informs about jobs, salaries and labour laws.  Currently, this Paycheck listing is uploaded in its website and is also in circulation in a major news-...
If Assam’s Bodoland is the most lawless region in the country today, according to former Meghalaya Governor, Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary, then Meghalaya’s Garo Hills is no better either. The recent killing of a woman by the GNLA (Garo National Liberation Army) militants in Garo Hills region of Meghalaya for not giving into their lust has shocked the nation. That Uttar Pradesh will be repeated in Meghalaya in this horrific manner was inconceivable to many here because this incident is an irony to the liberation war that the GNLA is fighting for. Absolute lawlessness, as Meghalaya bleeds over the death of this woman that deserves bitterest condemnation as no words are enough to denounce such...
These two dates - May 26 and 27, 2014 will go down in history as “good days are coming” coined by our new Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi. The success story of this tea-seller-RSS-pracharak-politician-chief-minister-prime-minister without any political godfather and dynasty to back him will now be taught in management and other academic institutions and rightly so. Modi’s communication strategy to reach the masses of the country using technology as a tool is perhaps not used to its optimum level by any of his ilk. Even Harvard graduate P Chidambaram and other Congressmen who made a mockery of Modi during the elections could not guide their own party in terms of communication...
The “Friends of the Hill People” – Assam Rifles (AR) – tagline turns out to be most ‘unfriendly’ when it comes to treating its own employees and jawans. As it is said charity begins at home, perhaps, there is much more to be desired from AR. It has come to light that due to absence of judicious and vibrant surveillance of the higher stature of administration, the AR is presently in a degradation mode due to imposition of many detrimental steps on its employees, resulted in spiral increase of discontentment among a large number of employees of different cadres – combative or civilian – most are related to pay-scale matters. This, ‘crisis of governance’ in AR inculcated debacle in the career...