Change is Inevitable: Technophobia and How To Overcome It

Today, reading and writing are fundamental aspects of our lives. In fact, we are afraid that because of the internet, our children will forget how to read and write.  What if I told you that people had the same fears about reading and writing? Hard to believe I know. Why are we as human beings so afraid of change? This post discusses a brief history of technophobia, and seeks solutions to balance the old and the new.




Today, we revere Socrates as one of the greatest philosophers as we read about his thoughts in school. This is ironic, as Socrates himself, viewed literacy as something that would lead children on the wrong path, as their brains were not developed enough to handle it. He also felt that reading, rather than listening, as was the norm at that time, would make people lazy and affect their memories in a negative light. This sounds eerily similar to something I heard recently. A local teacher here in Barbados said in a conversation that children should not be introduced to information technology before age 12 because their brains are not developed enough to understand it. Yes, in 2019, when generation z is born practically with tablets in their hands, a teacher in Barbados said that they are not smart enough to understand technology. But he is not the only one. This is a common complaint. We often hear that computers and the internet make our memories worse, or kill our brain cells. Socrates was not the only historical figure who found literacy abhorrent. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, reading was viewed as a method if isolating oneself from socialisation, much as social media is viewed today.

Radio and television were met with similar fears, with opponents using the same arguments. Children's brains were not developed enough, and the new technology would fry their brains and result in a reduction in family values and the isolation of individuals.

Fast forward to today, and you can read every day that the internet makes us stupid, that social media causes cancer and the inability to socialise appropriately, that our family values are being threatened by online videos and games, and that search engines cause memory loss among other things. Sound familiar? In fact, these beliefs are more often than not based on pseudo-science and opinion. Actual scientific studies, on the contrary, prove the opposite to be true.

So why are we so afraid of change? Technophobia is the fear of the new technology. It occurs with the development of each new technology.

One of the reasons for this fear is our feeling of losing control. Older people are more tenacious and set in their ways, and therefore are slower to try new technology. As this technology becomes more mainstream and they may be forced to use it, they often feel as though they are losing control, not only because they feel forced, but also because they are afraid they will not be able to use the technology correctly.

Technophobia can also be triggered by the fear that becoming too technologically advanced will be the demise of humanity. This theory states that we will create machines that revolt and take over the world, destroying humans in the process. This is driven by the media, seen daily in movies, books, and TV shows.

How can we overcome this fear of new technology? I think we need to accept that change is inevitable. If we look at the history of technophobia, we will see that the old technologies we hold as sacred today were viewed in the same fearful and evil light that we view the internet and social media today. We need to stop viewing this way, and embrace the positive aspects.

Instead of fearing the loss of control, take control by taking a class or learning from family members. Instead of fearing that your children will lose their brain cells by playing games all day on a tablet or computer, teach them to use create and format documents and excel sheets on these same instruments. Instead of being afraid that they will be unable to read, teach them to read from a young age, and maybe buy them a kindle or otherwise let them read articles online. Instead of complaining that they are unable to communicate effectively because of text talk, teach them to use email effectively using business language.

As a parent you can also stop blaming external forces for the loss of your family values. Spend more time with your children and enforce your values. Just like with televisions, there are many parental controls that you can use to protect your children. You can create an email address for your child that restricts who they talk to, which websites they visit, and other things. As a parent it is your job to talk to and teach your children.

As a local society, we are doing our children a disservice when we do not integrate information technology into our curriculum from the primary level. It should not be a separate subject that we teach between 2nd and 5th form for a C.X.C grade. It should be used in every subject. Alongside books, tablets can be used to teach our children English, Mathematics, and the other subjects. The world at large is advancing further and further while we remain stagnant.