Have we become dependent on Technology?- Ellie Taylor

It is a Sunday night and my whole family is sitting in the living room, the TV is on but the only one watching is my brother who’s eyes are glued to the screen. My dad is sitting on the chair with his laptop on his lap, I too am on my laptop sitting next to him. My sisters are both on the ground with earplugs in, on their iPod touches, and my mom sitting on another chair with her cell phone checking her email. This is not unusual for my family to all be sitting in one room, not talking but on their own electronic device. It is during one of these scenes that it occurs to me how much Americans today rely on their, cell phones, lap tops and other sources of technology. Newsweek published an article in July of 2008 saying that 85% of Americans have cell phones, 84% have DVD players, 80% have a PC or Mac, 69% have a digital camera, and 40% have an iPod or MP3 player. These are just the beginning of all the technology that we Americans depend on. If fact most people who own a cell phone would say they could not live with out it.
Now that people are relying so much on their technology they have begun to come up with a way to fit all of it into one. Take Apple's I phone for example, this a cell phone that can hold contacts, planner, camera, music, directions as well as calling, texting, getting online, checking your email and there is room to spare for games. An I phone as all the same features as a laptop, palm pilot, iPod, cell phone, digital camera, email, GPS and a game boy but with this you can fit in all into the palm of your hand, who wouldn't want it? But with technology surrounding us everywhere we go we are beginning to go to it for our problems, need an answer to hard question all you need to do is hop online and look it up. TV is giving our options and by telling us how to think or feel. Meals can now be cook in on minute rather than hours of hard laboring. Cars allow getting from place to another quicker and easier. But without all this help from technology could we do things ourselves? Lets face it, technology makes our lives easier, help us get through our daily lives without as much hassle, in fact for people who have grown up like me, life without technology seem well. . . unimaginable, and it is hard believe that 50 years ago none of this stuff existed. In fact people 50 years vary little if not no technology, even my grandpa grew up without plumbing! Obviously life is possible with out technology.
Grated good has come from it as well. Hospitals now have better technology making surgery easier, quicker and less painful. Today it is also easier to stay in touch with family and friends from far away places, take it from someone who knows staying in touch is hard, but texting, email, Instant messaging and group sites like face book or MySpace has made it a whole lot easier.
A lot of good has come from technology but with such a big power comes big responsibility, its good to meet face to face with someone, and go for a walk rather than watch TV. Technology isn’t a bad thing it has helped make lots of advances but if we rely on it took much it leads to trouble. So get off the computer, and go over to your friends house, or sit down an write a letter to your grandma, its not to late to change some of your ways and move into the future without being dependent on technology.