Hmm... is technology really a good thing?

So I have a final exam tomorrow afternoon, along with a 5-page paper that's also due tomorrow.

But about 3 hours ago, I found myself updating both my Facebook and both Twitter. Which leads me to ask the question:

Is technology really a good thing?

Of course it is. I seriously just need to learn how to focus on my work.

The question I asked, however, is the same question that many other people ask all the time, as a lot of the technological advances over the past few years seem to become distractions, getting in the way of other work that needs to be done. With MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc., there are numerous alternatives to doing work.

But why does it seem that people are more distracted with modern technology than they were in the past? The most likely reason is the interactivity that makes this new technology popular. All of the aforementioned web sites are examples of what has been termed "Web 2.0," described by Tim O'Reilly, founder and CEO of O'Reilly Media, as transforming the Internet into "a more mature, distinctive medium characterized by user participation, openness, and network effects" (Web 2.0: Principles and Best Practices, O'Reilly Radar).

"User participation"... that means users have to participate, right? And the more that users participate, the more popular the technology becomes. And the more popular the technology becomes, the more that users participate. It's a never-ending cycle that will continue to both attract and distract more and more people.

So how do we get past the "distraction" of this new technology? It's not easy, that's for sure.

But let's think about something: when televisions became popular in American society during the 50's and 60's, people saw TV as very distracting, as it "invaded" their households at a ridiculously fast pace, providing news and entertainment throughout the day.

Did this mean that TV was bad, though? Of course not. Think about this: when you wake up in the morning and want to know what you should wear, you don't have to step outside. Instead, you can just turn on your TV, flip to The Weather Channel, and get an update on the current temperature, along with information about the weather for the entire week. (You can even watch shows about crazy storms and hurricanes and such, but that's not as crucial.)

The point I'm trying to make is that, although new technology might be seen as a distraction, it helps make life more convenient and efficient in the long run. And it helps make it more fun, too. (My new iPod Touch is a great example of this... especially the fun part.)

Okay. I'm done writing. Let me go start my paper. I just need to update my Facebook and my Twitter first to let everyone know that I'm finally writing it.