Take a look around you now. You must have a computer or laptop in order for you to be reading this. Depending on which room of your residence you are in at this instant, there could be a television and some entertainment devices or an alarm clock with an mp3 attachment. We are surrounded by the results of technological advancements, and many of us use these results in our everyday lives. Now think: could you imagine a life without technology?

Assuming that you live in an industrialized nation, then you know to what extent the society has been exposed to the effects of technology. There are cars, trucks and SUVs rolling down the street, stoves and cooking plates at the Mexican restaurant you frequent, and billboards on the freeway that serve as notices of how long it will take before you reach the next freeway.

Unless you are truly addicted to electronic devices such as your computer, television, and vehicle, then it can be a little easy to imagine what life would be like without technology. But that is just skimming the surface. When we think of technology, we often think of the entertainment gadgets that we have, such as cell phones and PDAs, e-book readers, and laptops, but we don’t think of all the othe technologies that we have become so dependent on.

There is a very high chance that the produce you pick out at the grocery store was planted by a machine and harvested by a machine. The package of crackers that you packed for your lunch this afternoon was a product of machines. The train your board every morning as part of your work commute is a result of technology. That telephone you use to tell your best friend about your upcoming trip back home is also a result. Even the couch that you are sitting on could very well be one of the billions of products that have resulted from technology. After all, it had to be designed, yes? Perhaps it was not hand made like the furniture from olden days was put together, but it was put together partly by a machine.

Unless you find no joy in using electronic devices and you alone make all of your belongings, or you already live a lifestyle that is not reliant on many of the devices that many others need for work, school, or entertainment, then it is hard to fathom what disposition certain nations would be in. Without advances in technology, no new discoveries could be made. Medicine and science would not be as advanced as it is. There are arguments to both sides of the spectrum, but this briefly shows how much mankind has come to depend on technological products.