As technology becomes a larger part of our everyday lives, and the line between what is real and what is digital continues to blur, it is crucial that we remain aware of its societal impacts and find ways to mitigate its risks. While the term “digital readiness” or “digital preparedness” is often used to refer to the level that nations and organizations are equipped to utilize technology, we want to talk about the digital readiness of our society and culture. We have welcomed the upgrades and advances of technology into every facet of our lives but have rarely stopped to educate ourselves on how to use it to our advantage, instead of becoming dependent upon it.
Technological improvements have contributed massively to medical advancements, accessibility of information, ease of communication, increased career opportunities, and much more. However, these benefits do not exist without harm, especially when technology is not approached with proper awareness. While the internet and social media grant us the ability to connect with likeminded strangers, it leaves many feeling lonely and has led to mental health struggles such as anxiety and depression. Additionally, studies have shown that over exposure to screens can have negative impacts on adolescents’ cognitive and behavioral development, as well as impairing memory and retention of information.
While these effects can be studied and measured, they are mere symptoms of a deeper issue that cannot be so easily observed and quantified. As we move more of our social lives and interaction onto digital spaces, we create a lack of connection out in the world. When the majority of our social lives take place online, we are left comparing our real life with the polished and edited highlights of others’ profiles. The more time we spend with our screens, the less connected we feel to reality and those around us.
It has become common in our society to use technology to perform human tasks. We hire a moving company instead of asking our friends for help because we fear inconveniencing them. We buy cheap jewelry and art from Amazon instead of visiting local shops and vendors to find homemade pieces and support small businesses. We watch lectures, seminars, and sermons over Zoom instead of attending them in person and opening ourselves up to the opportunity to connect with others and build community. Individually, each of these choices may save us time, when compounded, they erase our connection to reality, and we end up handing our interpretation of life over to technology. When we outsource mundane tasks to technology in the name of efficiency and convenience, we miss out on the opportunity to interact with our surroundings, learn real tasks, experience the ups and downs of life, that failing at something isn’t fatal, limiting our exposure in confronting what it means to be human.
Perhaps the clearest example of this is artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence is created to replicate human behavior, and at times, take its place. In the last few years alone, advancements in AI have created art, produced documents, and given psychological advice, all in a fraction of the time that it would take a human to complete the same task. Although this saves time and money while increasing productivity, it drains humanity out of its most valuable experiences, the struggle to create and the joy of creating the finished product. We begin to rely more on machines over our own intuition and capacity to learn, diminishing the importance of our lived experiences.
None of this is to say that the digital environment is without benefit and should never be used. Services such as Zoom, Amazon, Instacart, and others can be great options for those who are sick, lack means of transportation, or are simply too busy to cross off their entire to-do list. However, the issue arises when we defer to technological and digital alternatives to real life experiences simply because they are easier and require less effort from us. This makes us increasingly dependent on tech and less connected with the real world around us.
Much of this can be boiled down to the fact that, while the expansion of technology has become inevitable and necessary, it’s time to roll the dependence on technology back, using it as a tool rather than a crutch. As our lives continue to shift into digital spaces, it becomes crucial to create avenues that give us opportunities to have in person experiences.

The key is being mindful and intentional in our use of technology:

Take note of when you are doing something in the digital world that you could be doing in real life.
Whenever possible, reach out to a friend instead of Uber for a ride to the airport.
Go out to lunch alone and start up a conversation with the person sitting next to you instead of having a meal delivered to your door.
Check out a local farmers’ market to find unique, hand-crafted goods instead of buying mass produced items online.
Call a friend and ask if they want to meet to go for a walk.

Embrace the seemingly boring and mundane tasks. Live your own life instead of letting technology live it for you. The more you frequent shared public spaces, the more likely you are to meet like-minded individuals to build a community with. Waste a little time, say hi to strangers, and take the scenic route, you might be surprised by what you find. ❦

About the Authors

Alyona Loguntsova, a graduate of the University of Central Florida, is a writer and editor that focuses on relevant local and national topics.

Alyona is passionate about her community and volunteers her writing talent with Paving the Way Foundation, an organization committed to raising awareness and prevention of child exploitation and human trafficking.

Over the last four years, she has written numerous blogs and articles successfully supporting the organization’s mission. Alyona lives and
works in Central Florida.

Jan Edwards is the founder and President of Paving the Way Foundation, an organization that empowers communities to be a fierce disruption in the cycle of child exploitation around the globe.

This is accomplished through engaging educational programs to that empowers youth to take bold new actions online and in person. Paving the Way has delivered their programs to 37,000 youth and adults in the past 8 years in Central Florida and around the nation.

Ms. Edwards has been featured on local and national television, podcasts and radio shows, was chosen as one Orlando Family Magazine SuperWomen of The Year and United Abolitionists Award for NGO Leader of the Year for her organization’s work.

She is the writer and co-director of the award-winning film, Trapped in the Trade, which was featured on CNN.

Please follow and like us: