Technology Pervading1 Global Society

By Amirah Ahmad

W e love those Sci-Fi2. Sci-Fi: =science fiction，科幻小说。stories where robots take over the world. It’s a shame we have never realized that we’re living that harsh reality as we gawk at the TV screens and the robots devour the entire human race.3. harsh: 严峻的，严酷的；gawk:〈美〉呆呆地看；devour: 吞食，狼吞虎咽地吃。It’s quite ironic4. ironic: 讽刺的。, I must say.

The obsession with technology as well as the upkeep of social media has reduced us humans to animals.5. 痴迷于科技产品，时时更新社交媒体，这些已经使我们从人类降格为动物。obsession:迷恋，着魔；upkeep: 保养，维修。Our addictions to our devices have rendered us susceptible and weak.6. render: 使成为，致使；susceptible: 敏感的，易动感情的。I think it’s safe to say that some of us would rather lose a limb7. limb: 肢，臂，腿。than our iPhone.

When I visited Beijing this summer, I travelled via metro to and from work every day for four weeks. Each time I stepped on the train, nearly everyone was staring at some sort of device or gazing off into the distance while listening to their tunes from their iPod. For the first week, I did not bring my iPod because I believed that would distract8. distract sb. from sth.: 转移某人对某事的注意力。下文distracting为形容词，意思是“分散注意力的，使人分心的”。me from experiencing the “Beijing life”. Instead, I would enjoy the sounds of beeps and car motors and the screech of the brakes during my walk to work.9. beep: (汽车喇叭的)嘟嘟声；screech:（移动时）发出的尖锐刺耳声；brake: 刹车。I enjoyed hearing the sizzle of various breakfast foods and the booming voices of the food vendors eager to sell breakfast to those heading to work.10. 我喜欢听各式早餐食品油炸发出的咝咝声，以及食品摊小贩洪亮的叫卖声，急切地招揽着那些上班路上行色匆匆的人们。sizzle: 咝咝声。After that first week, however, I changed my philosophy. I realized that Beijing life consisted of an unhealthy addiction to technology. Every day after that first week, my ear buds would be nestled into my ears as I walked to the beat of my music from my iPhone.11. 第一周过后，每天我都戴着耳机，踏着iPhone手机里播放的音乐节奏去上班。nestle: 安顿下来，舒适地躺下。Occasionally, I would play iPhone games on the train just waiting for the time to pass. After coming back home to America, I realized that Americans were addicted to technology as well.

不知从何时起，你发现没有手机为伴内心便会空虚不安；即便和好朋友共进晚餐也忍不住查看最新的状态更新；“枕上厕上”这种私人时间里电子产品的重要性更是不必说。我们已经对科技产生了深深的精神依赖，观察、思考、发呆，现实中人与人的交流，这些从前生活中饶有趣味的常态已经统统被电子产品为我们提供的音频、视频、实时信息所取代，我们已经无法作为一个独立的个体，甚至一个互动的群体而存在，而是成了科技的“精神奴隶”。

The world is addicted.

Needless to say, there are certain advantages of this technological world that we live in. The business world is thriving with12. thriving: 欣欣向荣的，兴旺的。such technological advancements. There has been surge13. surge: 激增，陡增。in efficiency and success for certain corporations all because of the programs and devices available to them. Additionally, technology has allowed the world to interact and exchange ideas. Social media has been a pervading influence of society, and while this can be distracting,there are many benefits. Social media has the power for good14. for good: 永久地，一劳永逸地。like spreading awareness for social and political issues as well as keeping family members that live across the world in contact.

However, there needs to be moderation in the use of such gadgets.15. moderation: 适度，节制；gadget:小巧的机械，小玩意儿。

The only thing that once distinguished humans from other animals was our ability to think rationally, build a community,and partake in activities that allow for the efficient functioning of a group of people.16. 曾几何时，人类区别于动物的唯一特性就是我们有能力理性思考、建设社区并且参与到允许个体高效地发挥功用的群体活动中。However, if technology and social media has invaded each aspect of society, what is our significance in the world? Are we still Earth’s greatest creature, or have we used our intellect to create Earth’s greatest creature that will eventually lead to our demise17. demise: 死亡。: technology?

I often find myself conversing with a group of people who all have their phones in hand, checking for any notifications18. notification: 通知，通告。. It’s as if basic human conversation is negligible compared to the “ding” of notification indicating you have just received an email.19. negligible: 无关紧要的，可以忽略的；indicate: 表明，显示。As soon as class ends, every student pulls out his or her phone.During dinner with my friends, everyone has their phone on the ready. Nearly every student in my school now brings his or her laptops to class. Teachers have opted to lead class via interactive programs online rather than traditional teaching.20. opt: 选择；interactive: 交互式的，人机对话的。

If this isn’t obsession, I don’t know what it is.

We’re living a Sci-Fi story and we don’t even know it. Instead of robots, however, it is technology as a whole that has us succumb to its influence.21. as a whole: 总的来说，作为整体；succumb to: 屈从，让步。Unfortunately, we do not have the strength of character to overcome their power.22. strength of character: 骨气，坚强，精神的力量； overcome: 战胜，克服。