The Role of Computers in Modern Life 

The Role of Computers in Modern Life (cont.)
Our relationship with computers has grown alongside that evolution. For many, computers are now a vital part of almost every aspect of their daily routine. They are as important in business are they are in leisure time. Most offices are now run using Microsoft Office, a software program designed to cater for the core needs of running a business. Social networking on sites such as Facebook and Twitter offer opportunities to connect with ‘friends’ across the globe, computers control our machinery and technology whilst computer gaming is an essential component of many “gamer’s” leisure hours.

Computers have been involved in making some of the key events in society and civilization’s progress happen in recent times. Lifesaving operations, complex and detail calculations needed for space travel and the Human Genome project have all been made possible by the advent of computers. With so many benefits, there are bound to be drawbacks and it has been argued that Social Networking erodes our natural relationships by reducing our interactions from face to face meetings to a mechanical medium. There have also been concerns that the reality presented by many computer games has significant impact on the thought processes of gamers and can even cause them to commit violent acts and several philosophical viewpoints warn about the potentially catastrophic (some say apocalyptic) effects of the surrender of human intervention to wholly mechanical processes. Whilst healthy cynicism and objectivity are important considerations when discussing a huge technological advance such as the advent of computers, it is the opinion of the author that they are a part of our natural reaction and mistrust of such a multifaceted and complex paradigm. The benefits of computers and the internet dramatically outweigh the (often perceived) disadvantages. Whilst commerce uses our interaction with the internet to advertise things it thinks the computer...