Considering Technology’s Implications on a Meaningful Life

By: Preston Peddicord

There are certain things in life one can simply not avoid experiencing as they are so pervasive in society that they are presented and framed to many as a need. Modern technology is just one of those things (and particularly the way society uses it). People are born with a screen in their hand, so when it comes time to have one attached to their hip they see no harm in it nor do they question its possible effects. This is not to say modern technology is necessarily evil, but is meant to push the questioning of its usage as little thought is put towards the issues it creates with work and life balance, attention span, and degrading the quality of one’s real world experiences. However, technology also brings about many positives that make its sparsely questioned nature feel pleasant.

The benefits espoused by those wanting to continue to develop technology’s extended reach are its convenience and social connectedness, while the opposition contends that it draws individuals away from the joys of the real world to their own personal screen. However, the issue and question at hand is in fact much deeper than this. Be it the casual articles or pieces developed by musicians that take a stance on technology or the more scholarly and philosophical questioning of its use, the concern of either side is that one is living their most meaningful life. Both viewpoints are asking the same question: Does the current way in which society uses technology cater towards living the most meaningful life?

Liquid Crystal is just Fancy for Tunnel

Those against technology’s pervasiveness claim that technology is “Enframing” one’s view of the world to be more focused on things that are quick and efficient, degrading the quality and limiting the quantity of one’s real world experiences. The limited scope these screens present vanquishes the world’s potential meaning.

In Watsky’s, a talented rap artist, music video Tiny Glowing Screens Part 1, the scene is a Watsky concert, however, everyone in the audience is holding their cell phone recording the concert- not an unfamiliar sight today. As opposed to experiencing this moment to its fullest, individuals put technology between them and the event in an attempt to capture the moment and experience it again. Later in the video, Watsky pans back into the scene of the concert and the audio and visuals mirror the degraded experience of the audience. Much like the state of the video itself nearing the end, he is claiming technology degrades the actual experience.

To go even further, according to Watsky, continued exposure to meaningful events through technology would lead one to experience reality with significantly less meaning. However, to those who have grown up constantly exposed to technology, is their experience of meaning degraded if that was all the knew?

According to an analysis of Heidegger, a renowned 20th-century German philosopher, by Mark Blitz, an esteemed philosophical author, technology Enframes one’s experience of reality and constricts one’s freedom. To preface his point, Heidegger does not believe modern-technology is evil; Heidegger views it as a neutral tool that, if used in the right way, would further humanity’s progress. He argues its current use leads one to be evermore attracted to immediate gratification.

Because modern-technology is all about convenience this will eventually lead society to be all about convenience, what Heidegger calls “Enframing.” Passions and mental processes would all begin to be enclosed and give people tunnel vision. They will become drawn towards convenience and immediate gratification as people would be less willing to experience deep thought as such an activity is not immediately rewarded and instead would experience much shallower and surface level thoughts. Not only this, but they would begin to try to do things in the most efficient way possible making the final product lacking and potentially insufficient in its intended responsibility.

The trouble is that individuals would be doing these things subconsciously, feeling as though they aren’t losing anything, while while Enframing is unknowingly restricting their freedom. Connecting back to the end of Watsky’s video, this would mean they experience a lesser meaning from life than an individual without technology.

On a more scientific note, a study conducted by Diaz, Chiaburu, Zimmerman, and Boswell, well respected researchers, found a positive correlation with the use of communications technology in the workplace and work-to-life conflict. This means that the more an individual’s work uses communications technology the more it interferes with their life.

This undoubtedly would result in an increase in frustration and again a restriction of an individual’s freedom, though this time the person may be more aware of it. However, it still would result in a decrease in one’s satisfaction and meaningfulness of their life due to the conflict and having to be torn from their life due to technology keeping them continually connected to their work.

This notion can be seen in Watsky’s music video near the beginning where a young girl is sitting at her dining table looking at her family as they have their heads buried in their mobile devices. Technology is taking them from a moment that is usually quite meaningful for a family. They are almost making themselves more alone by attempting to be more connected.

Liquid Crystal is a Similar Color to Rose

On the other side, they believe nearly the exact opposite; technology increases general satisfaction and expands one’s world view by keeping society connected. In his Article, The Upside to Technology? It’s Personal, Nick Bilton, a New York Times writer, highlights the importance of technology in connecting individuals even after their death, “Is he ever going to tweet again? No… Technology still connects us (me) to David.”

Bilton acknowledges the negatives of technology, however it brings more positive than it does negative. For many it is used in coping with loss of a friend who has been preserved digitally. Technology makes “us all feel a little more connected, and a little less alone.” This notion every individual could appreciate. Someone may feel rather lonely, but technology gives one access to millions of people, specifically those closest to them, and cultures all around the world.  

Being given a chance to more easily cope with a death of someone close to one and connecting one to the rest of the world for assistance in development would undoubtedly lead to a life with more meaning.

There is also scientific backing to suggest that a more meaningful life may be found from the usage of technology In the same study conducted by Diaz, Chiaburu, Zimmerman, and Boswell mentioned above, it was found that an increased use of communications technology resulted in an increase in work satisfaction. This means that an individual who is always connected to their work feels more satisfied.

This suggests that technology makes it convenient to do work thus reducing stress on an individual from their job. By finding more satisfaction in their job and experiencing less stress from it, an individual would feel as if their life carried more meaning with it as a significant portion of one’s life is spent at work.  

So Which Is It?

Does a liquid-crystal lens cause tunnel vision or allow one to view reality from a rose-colored view? Well, the answer is not so clear, but it is important to remember that both sides are asking the same question, how is the most meaningful life lived? The technology argument is merely a small portion of this and it is worth noting and regarding. However, the forest must not be lost among the trees. This is simply one question among many an individual should ask themselves in order to obtain the most meaningful life. The facts are the facts, but in grey areas, they only have so much weight in meaningfulness, and the rest must be left to one with the hope they make the decision they feel is right. Be it a tunnel or rose-colored, the decision stands by the user and may not be nearly as all-or-nothing as many people, even Heidegger, suggest.

Works Cited

Adams, Jackson, director. Tiny Glowing Screens Part 1. YouTube, YouTube, 12 May 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAqVmUciDSc.

Bilton, Nick. “The Upside to Technology? It’s Personal.” The New York Times, The New York Times Company, 30 Mar. 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/31/fashion/social-media-technology.html.

Blitz, Mark. “Understanding Heidegger on Technology.” The New Atlantis, The Center For the Study of Technology and Society, 2014, http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/understanding-heidegger-on-technology.

Diaz, Ismael, et al. “Communication Technology: Pros and Cons of Constant Connection to Work.” Science Direct, Elsevier Inc, 26 Aug. 2011, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000187911100114X.

Galdes, Andrew. “Person In Tunnel.” Agix Linux, Linux Support in Adelaide and Melbourne, 4 July 2018, http://www.agix.com.au/how-to-ssh-tunnel-access-resources-behind-a-firewall/.

Sabau, Adriana. “Looking Through Rose Colored Glasses.” Odyssey, Adriana Sabau Photography, 18 Nov. 2015, http://www.theodysseyonline.com/if-youve-ever-been-called-overly-emotional-or-too-sensitive-this-is-for-you.

Dunlapp, Jess. “Family at Dinner Focused on Technology.” Shards of Blue, ShardsOfBlue, 5 July 2014, http://www.shardsofblue.com/blog/2014/other-worlds/azelles-adventures-in-second-life/the-internet-is-real-life/.