Our Society: Technology and Instant Gratification

"I hate traffic.", "What is the hold up, here?", "I just cannot wait.", "Don't put me on hold!", etc. Do any of these seem familiar to you? No one likes to wait these days. No matter what it is that they have to wait for, it seems that people just can't wait.

As the human race, we are always looking to better ourselves, to make things easier and faster so that we eventually have to do less on our own. Over the past years, we have developed several new ways to travel, communicate, and entertain ourselves. It is both, a fantastic and terrible thing, that technology has brought us such conveniences.

We have become a lazy society. We don't have to cook, because we can grab food from a restaurant, or better yet, have it delivered. If not, we can always heat up a frozen meal in the microwave. Some people use their cars to travel a distance of two blocks so that they don't have to walk.

The television is often the babysitter. There are too many people who can't cook, don't get any exercise, and don't spare time to teach and discipline their children.

We have also become an unhealthy society. While we might be one of the wealthiest nations on the planet, we do not rank high in health. The top five healthiest countries are Japan, France, Iceland, Sweden, and Cuba. Heart disease, diabetes, and obesity are killing the health of our nation, and technology is a major contributor to these factors.

The use of cell phones while driving has caused tons of accidents, yet so many continue to do it everyday.

If many of those people are honest with themselves, it is not that they don't have time to talk later; it's that they just can't wait. Teenagers text each other during class, and fill their heads with popular music in the hallways. It is not only distracting students from learning, but it feeds their need for instant gratification.

Abuse of convenience in case of credit cards is just that you can't wait to earn enough money to buy things. The debt system is such a common pitfall. It drives us to work more, which causes more stress, giving rise to anxiety, in turn making us want to rush around and do everything super-fast. Do you see the cycle that impatience is causing?

Remember that good things come to those who wait. If you can discipline yourself not to get so angry and frustrated when things don't happen quite as quickly as you like, you will find yourself happier. Make the most of the waiting period.

Look at it this way, maybe you aren't exactly where you want to be, but you could be avoiding an accident that you didn't know would happen. Sometimes unexpected delays can save our lives.

Take some time away from technology. Turn off your cell phone once in a while. Go for quiet walks on your own. Make something with your own hands. Cook a meal from scratch. Coming back down to the natural earth without all the wires, computer chips, rings, and beeps can keep you grounded, and reduce your stress. This shall show magnanimous benefits for your health.

Good health is worth waiting for, isn't it? Enjoy the moments that you have, because life is too short to rush through everything. Take advantage of your free time, otherwise you will lose it.