Hello happy people! I welcome you all to the second half of the year.
My topic today is about debate, saying "Technology has done more harm than good to humanity". Supporting or Opposing?
Photo Credit: Wikipedia. License: CC BY-SA 3.0
On this topic, everyone is actually entitle to his/her own opinion but as for me, I'm opposing the motion. Basically, I'm not opposing this topic because I'm in science field/department but just that I have more facts to prove that science has really helped our generation.
In my neighborhood, state and country, this has been a controversial issue by many. I have heard many detest the way technology is shaping our world. Many said the way the world was before, is better than now. Adding that it's we human, that we're shortening our lives with so called technology advancement.
Hearing all these most times, always make me feel some how and think that, are scientist to be blamed or credited for the world advancement? Or is there a crime inventing more technologies? I'm just always curious and wondering why some people are not buying this idea of technology advancement.
Some years back, I was in a university being among students having a debate on this particular topic. Some were supporting, while some were opposing. That day, it was a tug of war. I could remember the lecturer coordinating the debate was speechless. She didn't know or figure out who to be called a winner or a loser. She saw the anger each speaker on opposing or supporting are pouring out on the topic.
The debate ended without any winner or loser. Then, I asked myself; is this a mutual facts on supporting or opposing this topic? because i could see the lecturer too didn't point out any winner. But later on, in my findings, researching and observations, I could see science has really done more good than harm and not the vice versa. I added observation because there are some things in our vicinities that we don't need to research about but merely looking at those/that thing(s) you will observe this is/are the work(s) of Science and Technology.
Hello dear friends of Steemit community, if you are in science, commercial or art field and you are still thinking or saying Science and Technology is destroy us, well, I can say you are entitle to your opinion but the cogent point you need to know is that Science and Technology are the best things to ever happen to our generation.
Truly, there is nothing that has advantage that doesn't have disadvantage. That's a fact we all know but the degree of disadvantages to advantages differs. In some cases, advantages might be more than disadvantages while in other cases disadvantages might be more than advantages.
So, as for Science and Technology, its advantages are super more than its disadvantages. Now, let's get straight down to facts;
CELL PHONES: Merits and Demerits
We all have mobile phones now, but in the ancient times nothing like that. Though, I was lucky to be born in the modern age where information became easily accessible through internet and telecommunications but then, I do wonder how people of the ancient time communicate especially if their is much distance apart. Distance of one kilometre apart could still be easily reached, how about those families and friends of 1000 miles apart? That means you are going to wait to see that/those person or people if you have a word with them in months, year or years. How does that sound? Well, now it sounds abnormal but then, it sounds really good and normal.
Image Credit: Pexels. CC0 License
But when the invention of phone came in, what happen to those times? Those times ended and everything about cellphone communication became easy to everyone throughout the world. In 2001, the president of my country then, Olusegun Obasanjo, I can thank him and thank him again because he was the one that allowed cellphones shipped into my country, Nigeria. Source. Today, we are all enjoying its advantages. Then, nobody complained because we saw it as a new inventory, but not until 2016 when people started condemning and complaining about new smart phones produced being blown up like a bomb if used to make/receive calls while charging.
Actually, I have seen victims pictures of cases like this, but it's very rare among phone users. What I want us to know is that every mobile phones we use has its own usage (style of use) and that's why we always have manual guide among phone accessories when purchasing one.
Some weeks back, I watched a video of a man entering a shopping mall, within a moment the bag he backed got exploded and started burning. At first, everyone flew thinking it was a bomb, but later when they couldn't resist the man burning, security agencies looked for fire extinguishers nearby. The fire on him was put off, but he sustained second degree burn. After investigation, it was discovered he was charging his phone in his bag with power bank.
More over, Several had also talked about lightening striking people making calls, some resulted to death while some resulted to injuries. All these disadvantages are very rare and the truth is, these could still be managed in the sense that, phone users should adjust their usage and know the precautions of each particular phones they use.
Example of the adjustment I'm talking about is this: before rainfall or after, you are seeing lightening and thunder striking often in your region, why not stop making calls at that moment? And for users making or receiving calls while charging phones, why not remove the charger before usage and continue charging after usage? And for someone charging his/her phone(s) while on the move, why not do that at home/office before on the move? You can see what I'm saying here? We can adjust to mobile phones disadvantages.
I know its disadvantages are not limited to those above, I know there are still more. Another one is not keeping your mobile phones in the left pocket of your shirts or long sleeves that it may cause heart attack or damage the heart gradually especially when its rings or vibrate for incoming calls. Another is, all adult men shouldn't keep cell phones nearer to the genitals that it could gradually affect the fertility of sperm.
Well, I do hear people say these two statements above, but I understand the fact that our cellphones works using radio waves which is in form of electromagnetic radiation (non-ionizing category). The one of ionizing category are x-rays, cosmic rays and radon which are very dangerous to human health. Source. And even if study had shown radio frequency have started affecting human health, this I have said before, all these could be adjusted. We all reading this article right now knows the advantages of cellphones usage supersedes its disadvantages. The advantages are just countless and it's not necessary to be listing those here but it's a fact we all know even those supporting the motion. Having done with cellphones, now let's move to automobiles.
AUTOMOBILES: Merits and Demerits
In my country, the first person to drive a car was a woman, Chief Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. Source. That period was in the 90s, many decades away. But then, I do think about how people in the country would feel, but definitely they will feel amazed because they've seen what their eyes had never behold before.
Image Credit: Pexels. License: CC0
Though, I wasn't born then to know how people felt seeing the first car, but I know it's a normal thing to be surprise or feel amaze when you see a new inventory you've not seen before. Everyone liked it then, thinking, willing and working so hard to have one I guess, because if not, I wouldn't have seen much cars around me when I was 10-year-old in 1998. In the year 1998, there has been millions of cars in Nigeria. But during those times, the disadvantages wasn't that alarming.
Thereafter, when we got into the millennium year, the purchase of cars skyrocketed, every citizen of the country want to have one. Why?
- It's because cars made it easy to move easily from one region to another.
- Vehicles made easy to transporting goods from one place to another.
- it put and end to trekking. Anyone that has no bicycle of or a car would at least board on a taxi or bus to destination. So many other advantages cars has given to mankind.
But in recent years, the cars we have around are now becoming enemies to many, claiming that, the carbon monoxide (CO) emitting from car exhaust pipe is part of what's causing global warming in our world of today and also generator exhaust inclusive. True! But global warming are not limited to fumes from cars and generators.
The fact here is that, the cause of global warming can be stopped by you and I. Like I said earlier in the first technology of cellphones that we can adjust ourselves. Yea! On the issue of global warming, we can put end to it together. It's not a one man thing or a federal government job, it's a joint together thing so that it would be more effective. See here and here on how we can stop global warming together. Now, let's move to aircrafts and watercrafts
AIRCRAFTS & WATERCRAFTS: Merits and Demerits
In the 17th century, there was nothing like aircrafts, but only watercrafts (ships, boats - 3,000 years ago).Source. Those times, the level of individuals traveling from one region to another especially those region departed by seas and oceans was extremely low because not everyone had access to board on a ship or have a speed boat. Though, canoes were available then, but it would take extra effort to cross a sea with a canoe and I don't even think that's a good idea. Getting to the 19th century, we have successful aircrafts inventors, The Wright Brothers. They were the first to build and fly an aircraft successful.Source. Technology advancement on aircrafts on daily basis, there emerged more aircrafts. Now we have choppers, gliders, helicopters, jets, aeroplanes, etc.
Photo Credit: Pexels. License: CC0
This generation is so happy for the advancement of aircrafts. Now you can see people flooding airports on daily basis. You will also hear about someone travelling in/out of the country twice a week. Yea! It happens in my country because they see it as a means of the fastest transportation. Back then, i never heard of people talking ill or being afraid of airplanes until plane crash saga getting rampant globally. I could remember this tragedy happened consecutively in my country some years back; that's when you talk about Bellview airlines, Sosoliso airlines, Dana airlines and the likes. Source¹, Source², Source³
Should we blame inventors for having airplanes? or should we blame the technology behind building airplanes because we have records of lost lives at crash sites? Like have always said, we can adjust to technology disadvantages. All these planes crash of thing involves something. Plane crash can't just happen. Something must be wrong somewhere which needs an urgent investigation.
Like how we can adjust I always say...
- Is the pilot a pro? This could be a problem if he/she is not.
- Is there any worn out part needed to be replaced with new? If any, this should be replaced immediately and not manage at all.
- The weight of passenger luggages, is it heavier than the airplane itself?
- Is the engine of the airplane in good condition before taking off?
- etc
Reasons of plane crash are not limited to this. There could still be many more. The authorities or the directors of each airline are expected to scrutinize his/her staff very well for better performances. If all these thing are done by all aviation authorities, then, there won't be anything of plane crash. Though, i strongly believe they are doing the scrutiny already even till now.
Like we already know, the value of airplanes is so essential in our world today. The disadvantages could be managed (tackled) like I have said earlier but the advantages are endless.
That also reminds me of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). I could remember, in 18 century, there was nothing like NASA but in our generation of today, we have them around us with the help of Science and Technology.Source. I'm a follower of NASA on twitter and I do receive their signals from those currently in space. They do send lots of space pictures. You can see, with the help of technology I know how galaxy and asteroids look like.
In the 80s, there would have been often occurrences of eclipse of the sun, but would people of then know what's going on? No! With the help of Science and Technology we know this in our generation even when it would occur.
The understanding of seconds, minutes, hours, day and night, earth rotation and revolution, 24 hours of a day, longer day and shorter night, shorter day and longer night and so on... was made revealed by the help of Science and Technology. So many other things the world has benefited from Science and Technology even till date and still continues.
My Conclusion
The world today is getting advance with more technologies everyday which can not be hindered by any means. The main thing on technology is that, the good parts is far more better than demerits. The problems could be solved by not affecting us.
With this little points on mine, I hope I can convince you supporting the motion of the topic above that, technology hasn't done more harm than good, but done more good harm to humanity.
Thank you for you time!
References
If you write STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) related posts, consider joining #steemSTEM on discord here. If you are from Nigeria, you may want to include the #stemng tag in your post. You can visit this blog by 
