People are living longer and longer; their quality of life often improved by the marvels of modern medicine. Is technology really improving our daily existence? We are in constant contact with work, never experiencing relief from the pressure and responsibilities. We text or Facebook family around the world. We know better their restaurant preferences, based on their check-ins, than the emotional happenings of their life.
Having supported my parents through the horrors of my dad’s lung cancer diagnoses and subsequent treatment with chemotherapy and radiation, I often ponder if the ends really justify the means. Is our quality of life being sacrificed purely in the pursuit of quantity, longevity? Is it really beneficial for the family to skip the annual reunion in favor of a Caribbean cruise? “Everyone is in touch via social media anyway. What is the big deal?” But, how will the young learn the family history? How will they understand the sacrifices made by the generations before them? How will they know where they come from?
I believe the biggest challenge facing the world is not global warming or economic growth, but determining how to leverage technology to improve both the quality and the quantity of our lives. It is finding the balance between a highly connected, virtual society and the need for human contact and authentic emotion.
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