Human society would not have reached the levels of advancements attained in the 21st Century were it not for continual discoveries, innovations and advancement of new technologies. In fact, the mark of an advanced economy today is usually how much a given country incorporates the latest technology into homes, workplaces and other economic sectors.
However, technological advancement has also come under fire for allegedly destroying the social fabric by making people antisocial and encouraging social vices. Connectivity to the internet has often been cited as the biggest contributor to decaying morality as young people easily access free pornography and drugs online.
Both sides of the debate produce compelling data and evidence for the effects of technology in society, both for good and for evil. However, some of the leading technology companies in the world continue to hold a more optimistic view of the products in which they specialize, and technology in general.
“LG Electronics believes that technology exists to serve human beings, and not vice versa. Most of the time we end up blaming technology when something goes wrong and yet it is because we have misunderstood the role of technology in our lives,” says Moses Marji, LG Electronics East Africa General Manager Marketing.
“If you look at the products that we have launched lately,” he adds, “one consistent pattern you will notice is that our design aims at creating more time for people to spend with their families.”
For instance, LG’s smart kitchen solutions make it possible for even the least skilled chefs to quickly prepare healthy, gourmet-quality meals. Smart refrigerators are equipped with interactive recipe indexes that provide options based on what is stored inside.
Mr Marji maintains that while mothers would previously spend more time in the kitchen rather than in the living room with their families, technology has radically changed this dynamic.
Women can now join the rest of the family and what’s more, even the fathers who are less competent about their cooking can now join their wives in the kitchen to try out challenging recipes aided by the smart appliances.
The new LG OLED TV has also revolutionized how families spend quality time. For instance, while it may have previously been difficult to keep teenagers in the house, the new state-of-the-art television has made home entertainment a more desirable option for teens.
Previously, many of these teens would have opted to go to a cinema, which would mean spending more money on entertainment while at the same time keeping the family separated.
However, while these examples present a seemingly rosy picture of technology’s role in the home, Mr Marji cautions that technological advancement does not excuse us from being responsible users.
Too much TV watching can produce couch potatoes who are unfit and antisocial. The same device could also expose young ones to inappropriate content. It is therefore essential to monitor use of these technologies. This is why, beyond giving excellent entertainment experiences, LG has also incorporated safety and security features in electronics such as the OLED TV.
The fact that you can monitor how much time you spend watching TV and also set up parental control for the young ones means LG technology also comes with tools to help one prevent the negative effects of that same technology. In the end, it is still upon all users to remember that technology is what we make of it, and making it our servant instead of our master will lead to a much better world.
