Technology: Disease of Our Century?
by Jennifer Altavilla
It sometimes seems that life is no more than a deluge of digital sound. The high pitched jingle of the pager, the echoing chime of the laptop, not to mention the variety of beeps, bangs, and bells of the versatile cell phone, all combine to create the dissonant symphony of modern society. Although these sounds have become commonplace, (what would a movie be without at least one cell phone interruption?), it does not mean society should allow them fade into the background. Surprisingly, these noisy devices, which were designed to relieve stress, are actually some of the main causes of it, and that is certainly not music to the ears.
Stress is defined as a change in the environment that elicits a physical reaction. Our prehistoric ancestors used such stress to help them overcome physical challenges, for example, being attacked by an animal or falling off a cliff. Although humans no longer have to worry about saber tooth tiger attacks, stress levels have gone up. According to the American Institute of Stress, 75-90% of all illnesses that cause patients to visit a primary care physician are either caused by, or worsened by, stress. If that statistic is true, then where does this stress come from?
The biggest stress triggers are actually the very gadgets that are supposed to make life easier. According to Michelle Weil and Larry Rosen, authors of the book TechnoStress: Coping With Technology, 85% of Americans feel uncomfortable with technology. The rise of technology has led to the development of "technostress," a reaction to technology which results in physiological changes, including headaches, irritability, and loss of concentration. If Americans admit they are wary of technology, then why do they continue to depend on it?
There is a myriad of reasons why Americans should be fed up with technology. The advent of pagers, beepers, and cell phones has made people feel the need to "be on" all the time. They feel anxious to even turn off their devices at night, lest someone should call them when they are asleep. Even though this habit causes people to lose sleep or sleep less soundly, they continue to insist on being "on call."
Such habits stem from the workplace. Most bosses of law firms, investment companies, or other high stakes fields require their employees to be on call at all times. This requirement stems from a growing need for productivity. Businesses want to get an advantage in whatever way possible, even if it means having an employee close a big deal sitting at the dinner table on Christmas day. Sadly, this development shrinks the gap between work and home. Home is no longer a sanctuary, a place of rest, but rather an extension of the office, another place to set up the laptop, a transportable cubicle designed only for production and efficiency.
Our desire to have infinite information at our fingertips is another major cause of technostress. People feel the need to keep up to date on everything simply because the information is readily available. Being knowledgeable is a way for people to keep up with the Joneses, to outdo their equally technologically savvy friends. However, Weil and Rosen claim that such a desire can lead to "Information Fatigue Syndrome," a feeling of hopelessness caused by the overwhelming glut of information. The need for too much knowledge can also lead to a decline in the quality of knowledge and a marked loss in the ability to concentrate and retain facts. Because of technology, people get so caught up in learning more, that they forget the importance of what they learned in the first place.
Technostress can be caused by the need to keep up with and learn about new technology. The Indiana University School of Journalism conducted a study which revealed that 73% of faculty members believed technology was responsible for a moderate to great amount of stress in their professional lives, mostly because they felt obligated to constantly learn new technology pertinent to their field. It can be inferred that learning new technology in order to be able to "do more" in a particular professional field is actually just as stressful as implementing the technology and can actually take more time and effort than actual use. Sadly, learning new technology is mandatory if a person wants to succeed in his/her career; it is not simply a matter of keeping up with the Joneses, but a matter of survival.
How are we to control stress if technology is such a vital part of modern life? We cannot go back to the 19th century and walk everywhere or send letters via the Pony Express. If we could go back, knowing what we do now about technology, we would be stressed and fret about the information we were missing out on. However, we can learn something about quality of life from our ancestors. There is something comforting about reading a newspaper by a crackling fire or writing a personalized letter to an old friend. The generations before us were perfectly content without the Internet, even without the cell phone. Although we no longer can live without technology, we can pick up the newspaper or that pad of stationary. Perhaps the key to being less stressed, to being happier, is making time for the simple pleasures. It is as effortless as putting down the computer mouse and relearning how to use the old fashioned ballpoint pen.
Sources:
1. Calloway, John. "Technology, Stress, and the Lawyer's Quality of Life." Oklahoma Bar Association. 11 November 2003. 22 February <www.okbar.org>.
2. Dainow, Susannah. "Technology Causes Stress for Journalism Professors, Report Says." Chronicle of Higher Education. 10 August 2001. 22 February 2007 <http://chronicle.com>.
3. Mueller, John. "Technology and Stress." July 2001. 22 February 2007 <www.isma.org.uk>.
4. "Stress: America's #1 Health Problem." 22 February 2007 <http://www.rd.com>.
5. "TechnoStress: Coping With Technology." Cincinnati Business Courier. 18 September 1998. 22 February 2007 <http://cincinnait.bizjournals.com>.
