The Advantages of Modern Technology and Multitasking
“Fast Entertainment and Multitasking in an Always-On World”, written by S. Craig Watkins, describes the impact of digital technology and multitasking on today’s society. Watson emphasizes the point that living in this manner with technology at one’s fingertips, no matter one is, is truly hurting our younger generation. However, not all aspects of these habits are detrimental to us. Yes, the availability of a wide variety of entertainment and the act of multitasking may both be having negative effects on our youth, but the few benefits that come with this way of life should nevertheless always be considered. In this paper, I will attempt to explain why this change in how we live can be favorable for us.
With the endless possibilities that come with the wide array of technology available to us, we are able to finish many tasks in short periods of time by multitasking. Multitasking maximizes our capability and efficiency to a certain extent, and thus allows us to make the most of our time. Watson also explains this advantage of multitasking in his article: “In some situations multitasking – say, responding to e-mails while eating lunch – may be quite useful in managing a busy day” (149). In a single day, whether it is at work or at home, we do several things, most of them done at the same time as others. Without the plus of modern technology and the ability to perform multiple tasks at one time, we would have trouble getting things done in a timely fashion, which would be a problem if there was a deadline that had to be met. Multitasking also assists us in doing more at once, whether it is required of us or not. For example, one can play a game on his or her laptop computer while watching television and instant messaging a friend through a social-network site, such as Facebook. A person may not have to perform these tasks, but he or she can certainly do these things for the purpose of self-entertainment or...