Americans Credit Technology With Improving Their Lives More Than Anything Else

in #technology6 years ago (edited)

When we look back at how people lived 100 years ago, or even how our grandparents and parents grew up, today in comparison we are surrounded by a great deal of material plenty.

There are many services and goods that we enjoy today as a regular part of living that even the most affluent among us didn't get the pleasure to enjoy only a few decades ago. But how one measures quality of life and living standards is subjective and so some might feel that we are better off day, while others might disagree and think that things were much better in the past.

Today we have the option to travel around the world in a few hours, send a message or video chat with someone in a different country within seconds, deliver a package to someone on the same day, order food that is out of season, enjoy air conditioning in our homes, cars, hotels. Have just about anything delivered straight to our door: dentist services, house cleaning help, food, and a lot more.

Our entertainment options have exploded, we've got wifi and smartphones, flying cars, 3D-printers, cryptocurrency, and drones. All of it made possible by different people who had the idea and invested the time to bring it to life, which couldn't have been accomplished if those individuals didn't have a relative amount of freedom to work and innovate.

Imagine having to grow up without any electric lighting in your home or having to spend the majority of your time doing hard-work in the field growing the food for you and your loved ones to survive etc. From our running water and electricity to wifi and the plethora of entertainment choices available at our fingertips, even the less affluent in society today are still enjoying luxuries that many people could never have dreamed of.

Doesn't mean they aren't still being screwed by the Fed though.

As far as how Americans feel about what the biggest improvement to their lives has been, a recent survey found that roughly 4 out of 10 Americans think technology is responsible for their increased standard of living.

They say that they are living a better life now than they were in the past five decades.

A great deal also responded in saying that they've seen a remarkable improvement in medicine and health, followed by civil/equal rights, and the economy. Seeing an advancement toward peace and an end to ongoing military conflicts however, ranked lowest on the list.

Many people see the technological revolution taking place currently as being one of the most historical events in their lifetimes. And previous surveys have found that roughly 52 percent of Americans see technology as having had a positive impact on society overall.

As far as what people expect to take place in the future:

Roughly 66 percent responded in saying that they believe most forms of cancer will be cured and about 48 percent believe humans will increasingly turn to using some sort of implanted sensors to monitor their medications and food needs etc. Surveys have also found that when it comes to the willingness of Americans to adopt those brain implants, roughly 66 percent have said they wouldn't want one.

Pics:
Pixabay
Pixabay
PEW Research Center

Sources:
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/12/four-in-ten-americans-credit-technology-with-improving-life-most-in-the-past-50-years/
http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/07/26/understanding-patterns-in-americans-reactions-to-gene-editing-brain-chip-implants-and-synthetic-blood-transfusions-that-push-boundaries-of-the-human-condition/#is-change-inevitable
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/angella-nazarian/the-technology-revolution_b_4809786.html
https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2017/11/23/10-scientific-phenomena-to-be-thankful-for-today-and-every-day/#57c38f5e6e2b

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When I went back to Pakistan a year ago and stayed there for 8 months it was tough fighting the electricity there . One hour it would come then next few hours it would be shut off . Even in the summer when it’s over a 100, with no fan or anything . But I have realized that without technology there or WiFi being enabled , people connect with one another more . I did not have my phone for 6 months there’s and I felt like a better person I was more alive than I had ever been

I've been bringing up the idea in conversations with co-workers that we should be looking for technological solutions instead of political solutions. There's push back to this idea, even though I work in the IT field.

The age of the people I would imagine drastically affect the survey. Having parents who have had heart valve replacement, knee replacements, and me being in the hospital in the past 5 years I would definetly vote for health care. It is amazing how good medicine has gotten.

Interesting topic for dialogue, the last 100 years is only a quick glance, or perhaps a glimmer in the history of human evolution. We may also need a larger scale to learn more.

Great post @doitvoluntarily

thx for stopping by! merry Christmas to ya!:)

If you're above the age of 100, you've seen a lot of changes in your lifetime. I can't even imagine being born into a world where getting around by horse & buggy was fairly common and living to see humans put rovers on Mars. All these changes happened in just one person's lifetime. That's so insane.

What's even more insane is looking forward, instead of looking back. Technology continues to progress at a geometric rate, meaning that it goes further ever faster.

@everittdmickey has posted some astounding charts that show how much more we will be impacted by technology in the future than we have in the past.

It is literally unimaginable.

The change from horse and buggy to spaceship will be minor compared to the change from spaceship to what comes next. Teleportation? Who knows?

The impact of technology on our social, mental, physical and environmental health can be devastating if we don’t keep ourselves in check.

I totally agree with you @mrsfox.

Yes true as the system gets faster so does ours as well.

Thanks for sharing, I am follow you👍👍👍

i support you. thanks for share.

I quite agreed with you that today's life is better in terms of technological materials available to us than our grandparents. For instance, mobile and hi-phones etc. I follow and upvote you.

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