Lying down in the sun isn't safe for your skin, and the sun is about 93 millions miles away, so what is the likelihood that lying in a tanning bed, where the impact of the ultra violet rays is greater, will be safe for your skin?! People can kid themselves that if they're just in a tanning bed for a few minutes a day that the risks of them developing skin cancer are not great, but surely over a long period of time this risk increases significantly.
Tanning beds help to facilitate the production of melanin. This melanin is actually skin damage caused by ultra violet rays, which have been proven to cause all three types of skin cancer; basil cell sarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Initially the tanning bed was developed to serve a medicinal purpose in the hope that increased sunlight could help those individuals with rickets and calcium deficiency disorders to develop stronger bones.
However, when some entrepreneurial figure came along and realised there was money to be made from an appearance-obsessed public the tanning bed became more about feeding people's vanity than any tenuous health benefits. Tans were, and still are, in fashion and tanning beds provide individuals with the opportunity to have a year-round tan without having to expose oneself in public and having to rely on the unpredictable weather (in the United Kingdom, at least!)
Not only are you at a greater risk of developing skin cancer from using tanning beds, your skin becomes wrinkly and leathery, helping you to age quicker. This is hardly a sign that tanning beds are good for your skin. You may well have a healthy' glow, but to many people it seems unnatural, and only provides short-term benefits since, after all you have to keep your tan topped-up'.
Indeed, some people find using tanning beds an addictive experience and end up looking excessively orange from overusing tanning beds. Such individuals are sometimes referred to as being tantastic' or tanorexic'. In some ways it easy to mock such individuals because they look so odd, but there are people with real problems who suffer pangs of guilt if they miss a tanning session.
This is why it is important to protect vulnerable, impressionable young people from believing that people look better with a perma-tan rather than just accepting their natural colour. It is only recently that the issue of tanning beds has been raised in the United Kingdom. The government is now leaning towards banning children under eighteen from using tanning beds and ensuring that tanning salons are staffed at all times with staff having to inform customers about potential risks of using tanning beds. This obviously does not preclude the use of tanning beds in individuals' homes, but it does begin to address this seeming obsession with being tanned all year round, and hopefully encouraging young people to think more about their health than their looks.
Friday, 29 May 2015
Why Perserverance is Essential in the Workplace
Perseverance is an essential quality to possess in the workplace, as there will be occasions when things don't quite go to plan and so you need to have the drive and determination to get your ideas across and to ensure that your projects go ahead. If you give up every time something unexpected occurs you will never get anything done and could find that your career doesn't progress in the way you want it to. If you persevere, however, failure is not an option and so you will keep trying until things turn out the way you wanted them to.
It is important to persevere in the workplace, as otherwise the temptation is to just give up. If someone unexpectedly quits, leaving a project half-completed, or you find that funding for your organisation has been withdrawn you can’t just ignore it. You have to take action to improve the situation, as no one else will. When other people are depending on you to deliver goods or services, you can't simply abandon them because something else has come up. You have to persevere and ensure that you employ someone else to get your project back on track and find some other way of securing funds.
Obviously, perseverance can help you at all levels. If you are in a low-skilled job where you get little thanks for your efforts you need to persevere when things go wrong, as you are bound to be the one that gets the blame, even when it’s not your fault. You're still the one who ends up correcting other people’s mistakes, though. If you persevere and stick with your job you may eventually have the extra work you've put in acknowledged by your boss, so that you end up being given a promotion.
Indeed, perseverance is an essential quality to possess in the workplace if you are to achieve your career goals and reach your full potential. If you’re higher up the career ladder you need to persevere so that you get your ideas listened to and your contribution recognised. If you're the kind of person who folds under pressure, this is hardly likely to make a good impression on the people you work for, especially if you intend to reach the top of your profession.
Thus, you have to learn to persevere in the workplace if you want to do a good job in whatever it is you do and, hopefully, end up in a position that reflects your capabilities.
It is important to persevere in the workplace, as otherwise the temptation is to just give up. If someone unexpectedly quits, leaving a project half-completed, or you find that funding for your organisation has been withdrawn you can’t just ignore it. You have to take action to improve the situation, as no one else will. When other people are depending on you to deliver goods or services, you can't simply abandon them because something else has come up. You have to persevere and ensure that you employ someone else to get your project back on track and find some other way of securing funds.
Obviously, perseverance can help you at all levels. If you are in a low-skilled job where you get little thanks for your efforts you need to persevere when things go wrong, as you are bound to be the one that gets the blame, even when it’s not your fault. You're still the one who ends up correcting other people’s mistakes, though. If you persevere and stick with your job you may eventually have the extra work you've put in acknowledged by your boss, so that you end up being given a promotion.
Indeed, perseverance is an essential quality to possess in the workplace if you are to achieve your career goals and reach your full potential. If you’re higher up the career ladder you need to persevere so that you get your ideas listened to and your contribution recognised. If you're the kind of person who folds under pressure, this is hardly likely to make a good impression on the people you work for, especially if you intend to reach the top of your profession.
Thus, you have to learn to persevere in the workplace if you want to do a good job in whatever it is you do and, hopefully, end up in a position that reflects your capabilities.
The Best Indie Movies of all Time
Independent films have the ability to be innovative and to push boundaries because the creative forces behind them do not have to satisfy criteria laid down by major studios and production companies. This often means they are low-budget affairs and often do not reach mainstream audiences, but this does not take away from the fact that the independent scene has produced some very good films.
SHALLOW GRAVE An extremely dark comedy drama with great performances from Christopher Eccleston, Ewan Mcgregor and Kerry Fox, and directed to perfection by Danny Boyle. It focuses on a group of roommates who find a lot of money in the room of their new tenant who just happens to have died, and their consequent decisions about what to do with the body and what to do with the money. It has a wickedly funny ending.
TRAINSPOTTING Another film directed by Danny Boyle starring Ewan Mcgregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner and Kevin McKidd as a group of disaffected twenty-somethings use drugs to try to escape their Edinburgh existence.
DEAD MAN'S SHOES A stunning film from Shane Meadows and a brilliant performance from Paddy Considine. Considine plays a former soldier who returns home seeking vengeance against a group of people who abused his mentally impaired brother. It's a classic with a shockingly brutal ending.
RESERVOIR DOGS The film that introduced the world to Quentin Tarantino. It has an impressive cast list with the likes of Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi and Tim Roth putting in stellar performances. A bank job goes wrong; could a mole be responsible for its failure?
MEMENTO A film that put Christopher Nolan on the map with a very simple yet effective story told backwards. It stars Guy Pearce as Leonard, who suffers from short-term memory loss and so cannot create new memories. He is forced to rely on the notes he writes himself and the tattoos on his body as he tries to uncover who murdered his wife.
CUBE A clever little sci-fi thriller following a group of unrelated people who wake up in a cube-shaped building with thousands of rooms and many traps. Using each of their skills (which they conveniently have) they try to negotiate these rooms and find an escape, but will human nature overwhelm their attempts to survive?
THE DESCENT An inventive little horror from Neil Marshall, director of Dog Soldiers. It begins with one of the main character's child and husband being killed in a dramatic car crash. Some time later she and her friends go on a trip which will involve caving. Not only do they have to confront the unknown creatures in the dark but also their inner demons.
THE EVIL DEAD A low budget, yet surprisingly effective horror from Sam Raimi who manages to utilise a multitude of camera techniques to great effect. The plot isn't as important as the atmosphere and the build-up of tension, as it basically focuses on a group of teenagers who go to a deserted cabin in the forest for a weekend away. Not exactly mind-blowing!
DONNIE DARKO A film that may give you a headache if you think about it too much. It follows Donnie Darko, an extremely troubled teenager, who sees a six foot rabbit called Frank who tells him that the world is going to end in twenty eight days. Is it all in his head or could his vision come true?
REQUIEM FOR A DREAM A powerful film about addiction with a soundtrack that complements it well. There are four intertwining stories of drug addiction as each individual is forced to face up to the reality of their situation. Great performances from Jared Leto, Ellen Burstyn and Jennifer Connelly.
SHALLOW GRAVE An extremely dark comedy drama with great performances from Christopher Eccleston, Ewan Mcgregor and Kerry Fox, and directed to perfection by Danny Boyle. It focuses on a group of roommates who find a lot of money in the room of their new tenant who just happens to have died, and their consequent decisions about what to do with the body and what to do with the money. It has a wickedly funny ending.
TRAINSPOTTING Another film directed by Danny Boyle starring Ewan Mcgregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner and Kevin McKidd as a group of disaffected twenty-somethings use drugs to try to escape their Edinburgh existence.
DEAD MAN'S SHOES A stunning film from Shane Meadows and a brilliant performance from Paddy Considine. Considine plays a former soldier who returns home seeking vengeance against a group of people who abused his mentally impaired brother. It's a classic with a shockingly brutal ending.
RESERVOIR DOGS The film that introduced the world to Quentin Tarantino. It has an impressive cast list with the likes of Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi and Tim Roth putting in stellar performances. A bank job goes wrong; could a mole be responsible for its failure?
MEMENTO A film that put Christopher Nolan on the map with a very simple yet effective story told backwards. It stars Guy Pearce as Leonard, who suffers from short-term memory loss and so cannot create new memories. He is forced to rely on the notes he writes himself and the tattoos on his body as he tries to uncover who murdered his wife.
CUBE A clever little sci-fi thriller following a group of unrelated people who wake up in a cube-shaped building with thousands of rooms and many traps. Using each of their skills (which they conveniently have) they try to negotiate these rooms and find an escape, but will human nature overwhelm their attempts to survive?
THE DESCENT An inventive little horror from Neil Marshall, director of Dog Soldiers. It begins with one of the main character's child and husband being killed in a dramatic car crash. Some time later she and her friends go on a trip which will involve caving. Not only do they have to confront the unknown creatures in the dark but also their inner demons.
THE EVIL DEAD A low budget, yet surprisingly effective horror from Sam Raimi who manages to utilise a multitude of camera techniques to great effect. The plot isn't as important as the atmosphere and the build-up of tension, as it basically focuses on a group of teenagers who go to a deserted cabin in the forest for a weekend away. Not exactly mind-blowing!
DONNIE DARKO A film that may give you a headache if you think about it too much. It follows Donnie Darko, an extremely troubled teenager, who sees a six foot rabbit called Frank who tells him that the world is going to end in twenty eight days. Is it all in his head or could his vision come true?
REQUIEM FOR A DREAM A powerful film about addiction with a soundtrack that complements it well. There are four intertwining stories of drug addiction as each individual is forced to face up to the reality of their situation. Great performances from Jared Leto, Ellen Burstyn and Jennifer Connelly.
The Disadvantages of Being Single
There may be plenty of reasons to enjoy being single, but not everyone is able to embrace the single lifestyle with enthusiasm. If you've just been dumped, having been in a relationship for a considerable period of time, it is hard to see the positive side of being single. Indeed, you simply end up focusing on all the disadvantages, which is easy to do when you have been forced to adapt to living on your own and you're feeling depressed and lonely.
You may be the kind of person who always needs someone there to reassure you and to make you feel good about yourself, which is hard to deal with when you’re single. When you're in a relationship at least you always have someone who cares for you and who you care about. You are able to ask them their opinion and it is the only one that actually matters; if your boyfriend or girlfriend thinks you look good then you think you look good. In most cases your other half knows when to be tactful and when to be blunt, so that you can trust what they have to say.
When you're single, however, you usually live on your own and have no one to ask whether or not you look attractive in the clothes you're wearing. Indeed, you have no one to make an effort for when it comes to your appearance so you may be tempted to let yourself go a bit, piling on the pounds and wearing scruffy clothes. If you're determined to find someone else quickly you may go in completely the opposite direction and lose a few pounds and put yourself out there so you can attract someone else.
The main disadvantage of being single is probably the loneliness that accompanies it and so it is understandable why you would want to get back into a relationship as soon as possible. Although seeing someone else may distract you from your loneliness and prevent you dwelling on the past, sometimes you need a break to get over the end of a relationship, especially if it is one you were in for a long time.
You may have convinced yourself that you need to be in a relationship to be happy, but you shouldn’t have to rely on the presence of someone else in your life to make you feel more complete as a person. Not everyone is cut out for the single life, though, and the dating scene can be tough, but it’s just something you have to get used to if you are ever going to meet someone else.
You may be the kind of person who always needs someone there to reassure you and to make you feel good about yourself, which is hard to deal with when you’re single. When you're in a relationship at least you always have someone who cares for you and who you care about. You are able to ask them their opinion and it is the only one that actually matters; if your boyfriend or girlfriend thinks you look good then you think you look good. In most cases your other half knows when to be tactful and when to be blunt, so that you can trust what they have to say.
When you're single, however, you usually live on your own and have no one to ask whether or not you look attractive in the clothes you're wearing. Indeed, you have no one to make an effort for when it comes to your appearance so you may be tempted to let yourself go a bit, piling on the pounds and wearing scruffy clothes. If you're determined to find someone else quickly you may go in completely the opposite direction and lose a few pounds and put yourself out there so you can attract someone else.
The main disadvantage of being single is probably the loneliness that accompanies it and so it is understandable why you would want to get back into a relationship as soon as possible. Although seeing someone else may distract you from your loneliness and prevent you dwelling on the past, sometimes you need a break to get over the end of a relationship, especially if it is one you were in for a long time.
You may have convinced yourself that you need to be in a relationship to be happy, but you shouldn’t have to rely on the presence of someone else in your life to make you feel more complete as a person. Not everyone is cut out for the single life, though, and the dating scene can be tough, but it’s just something you have to get used to if you are ever going to meet someone else.
Social Effects of the Industrial Revolution
The 'Industrial revolution' had a huge impact on society from the late eighteenth century onwards. Industrialisation was driven by innovation in technology and the use of steam power, and had an extremely significant impact on the economy and the demographic make-up of all countries. Industrialisation had gained the most ground in the United Kingdom by the nineteenth century, and so the social effects of industrialisation were felt there sooner than elsewhere. Urbanisation, the formal creation of class' as a concept, over-crowding, disease, political strife and labour movements were all a feature of the nineteenth century, and were often directly linked to the scale of industrialisation that had taken place in seemingly such a short time.
Technology and increasing levels of efficiency in the countryside meant that fewer workers were needed to work on farms, meaning that more and more people were moving to towns to find work. Increasingly work in urban centres was being concentrated in factories, with work generally involving the use of machinery, often requiring the completion of simple, monotonous tasks, rather than completing the whole process of manufacture. Working conditions were poor, hours were long, and workers were vulnerable to exploitation, particularly women and children. In the United Kingdom the government took steps towards reducing work hours and preventing children from being exploited by ruthless employers. Such actions may not have resulted from a hearty compassion for workers (although it may have been so with regards to children), but out of a fear that a socialist revolution would take hold of the country, particularly with such a high concentration of people in one area. This is partially why the idea of educating the working class was anathema to many middle- and upper-class individuals, as it was feared that they would be drawn to revolutionary texts, such as the Communist Manifesto.
The idea of class had indeed been formalised. Society was at its most divided. You were either a ruler or the ruled. Few working class children were able to attend school (at least not in the earlier part of the nineteenth century), and there was little chance of progression for such people. The period did epitomise a high point for the middle classes, though; the business and shop owners, the political figures and the intelligentsia. They were having increasing influence in public life, replacing the aristocracy at the higher echelons of society.
Whilst the middle classes were influencing society as political figures or writers, the working classes began arranging themselves into unions. The establishment was initially hostile to such organisations, but eventually realised it was better for workers to be fighting for their rights through strikes as opposed to open revolution. Working-class solidarity on issues such as work conditions and hours was the only way in which they could effect change. The industrial revolution had meant that their jobs were not assessed in terms of skill; these workers were basically disposable, meaning that they had an insecure existence and were forced to live from day-to-day. There was no safety net.
Consequently, social ills abounded. Mental illness was prevalent, as were the issues of homelessness, squalor, disease, prostitution and crime, and destitution more generally. The governing principles of the time revolved around laissez faire, and so the British government were not prepared to step in at this time to help those without work and those on the street. Often this responsibility fell to local authorities, who were unable to tackle such social problems on any meaningful scale. The industrial revolution had created jobs in towns, but during recession people were laid off, and there had been no preparation for such an event. The government seemed to believe that its main concern was to prevent revolution, not to tackle the underlying problems of the system.
There were also some social benefits to industrialisation; towns were being modernised and sewage systems developed, transport systems were being developed meaning it was easier to travel throughout the country as well across the world, plus there was a real belief in social mobility and in self-improvement, even if the reality was harder to live up to than the ideal.
The significance of the social effects of industrialisation comes not so much from the effects themselves, but rather in how governments had not prepared themselves for such developments, and were ill-equipped to deal with problems when they arose. The industrial revolution was a driving force for change, but it certainly did not provide all of the answers to the problems that it helped create.
Technology and increasing levels of efficiency in the countryside meant that fewer workers were needed to work on farms, meaning that more and more people were moving to towns to find work. Increasingly work in urban centres was being concentrated in factories, with work generally involving the use of machinery, often requiring the completion of simple, monotonous tasks, rather than completing the whole process of manufacture. Working conditions were poor, hours were long, and workers were vulnerable to exploitation, particularly women and children. In the United Kingdom the government took steps towards reducing work hours and preventing children from being exploited by ruthless employers. Such actions may not have resulted from a hearty compassion for workers (although it may have been so with regards to children), but out of a fear that a socialist revolution would take hold of the country, particularly with such a high concentration of people in one area. This is partially why the idea of educating the working class was anathema to many middle- and upper-class individuals, as it was feared that they would be drawn to revolutionary texts, such as the Communist Manifesto.
The idea of class had indeed been formalised. Society was at its most divided. You were either a ruler or the ruled. Few working class children were able to attend school (at least not in the earlier part of the nineteenth century), and there was little chance of progression for such people. The period did epitomise a high point for the middle classes, though; the business and shop owners, the political figures and the intelligentsia. They were having increasing influence in public life, replacing the aristocracy at the higher echelons of society.
Whilst the middle classes were influencing society as political figures or writers, the working classes began arranging themselves into unions. The establishment was initially hostile to such organisations, but eventually realised it was better for workers to be fighting for their rights through strikes as opposed to open revolution. Working-class solidarity on issues such as work conditions and hours was the only way in which they could effect change. The industrial revolution had meant that their jobs were not assessed in terms of skill; these workers were basically disposable, meaning that they had an insecure existence and were forced to live from day-to-day. There was no safety net.
Consequently, social ills abounded. Mental illness was prevalent, as were the issues of homelessness, squalor, disease, prostitution and crime, and destitution more generally. The governing principles of the time revolved around laissez faire, and so the British government were not prepared to step in at this time to help those without work and those on the street. Often this responsibility fell to local authorities, who were unable to tackle such social problems on any meaningful scale. The industrial revolution had created jobs in towns, but during recession people were laid off, and there had been no preparation for such an event. The government seemed to believe that its main concern was to prevent revolution, not to tackle the underlying problems of the system.
There were also some social benefits to industrialisation; towns were being modernised and sewage systems developed, transport systems were being developed meaning it was easier to travel throughout the country as well across the world, plus there was a real belief in social mobility and in self-improvement, even if the reality was harder to live up to than the ideal.
The significance of the social effects of industrialisation comes not so much from the effects themselves, but rather in how governments had not prepared themselves for such developments, and were ill-equipped to deal with problems when they arose. The industrial revolution was a driving force for change, but it certainly did not provide all of the answers to the problems that it helped create.
The Importance of Cooperation in the Workplace
Cooperation is an essential feature of any workplace, as without it nothing would ever get done. Employees need to collaborate in order to decide how to approach a task and to ensure that everyone knows what their role is. There needs to be compromise and cooperation, because otherwise everything would descend into chaos, with everyone trying to get their point across, shouting increasingly louder to be heard. Cooperation enables a workplace to function much more effectively, as everyone is focused on working together to achieve the same goal.
It doesn't matter how big or small a company is, without any form of cooperation it is unlikely to survive. A successful company requires all of its employees to know what their roles are and to fulfil those roles. There has to be dialogue between different sections of the company, because if they all try to work in isolation problems will most probably arise. Without communication and cooperation on important business matters, confusion can spring up, making it difficult for everyone working for that particular company to continue producing high-quality work.
Sometimes, cooperation can be difficult to achieve in a company, especially amongst those higher up the chain of command, where competition is rife. Egos tend to get in the way of cooperation, as everyone wants to make their mark on the company and be rewarded for showing initiative. At the end of the day, though, if the company is going to expand, increase its profits, launch a new product and make a name for itself, there will have to be a degree of cooperation. Without cooperation, no decisions would ever be taken, which would result in the company going nowhere fast.
Even those lower down the chain have to find a way to cooperate, though, since without cooperation, nobody would take on their share of the workload, which would lead to arguments and nothing much being accomplished. Whether in an office, factory or shop, employees have to be able to cooperate with one another so that whatever the tasks they have are, they are completed to a high standard and on time. Those at the top of a company need to be able to cooperate with those at the bottom and vice-versa, as everyone ought to be working towards the same objectives.
The importance of cooperation in the workplace should not be underestimated, as a cooperative environment is likely to lead to a happier and more productive workforce that can therefore benefit a company's performance.
It doesn't matter how big or small a company is, without any form of cooperation it is unlikely to survive. A successful company requires all of its employees to know what their roles are and to fulfil those roles. There has to be dialogue between different sections of the company, because if they all try to work in isolation problems will most probably arise. Without communication and cooperation on important business matters, confusion can spring up, making it difficult for everyone working for that particular company to continue producing high-quality work.
Sometimes, cooperation can be difficult to achieve in a company, especially amongst those higher up the chain of command, where competition is rife. Egos tend to get in the way of cooperation, as everyone wants to make their mark on the company and be rewarded for showing initiative. At the end of the day, though, if the company is going to expand, increase its profits, launch a new product and make a name for itself, there will have to be a degree of cooperation. Without cooperation, no decisions would ever be taken, which would result in the company going nowhere fast.
Even those lower down the chain have to find a way to cooperate, though, since without cooperation, nobody would take on their share of the workload, which would lead to arguments and nothing much being accomplished. Whether in an office, factory or shop, employees have to be able to cooperate with one another so that whatever the tasks they have are, they are completed to a high standard and on time. Those at the top of a company need to be able to cooperate with those at the bottom and vice-versa, as everyone ought to be working towards the same objectives.
The importance of cooperation in the workplace should not be underestimated, as a cooperative environment is likely to lead to a happier and more productive workforce that can therefore benefit a company's performance.
The Negative Effects of Technology on Kids
Children growing up in today's society probably cannot even remember a time when the internet did not exist, when cassette players were used to listen to music, or when the Sega Mega Drive was the must-have Christmas gift. Technology changes extremely quickly, so that as soon as a person has bought the latest model DVD player or computer there is a new, more advanced version available for double the cost. However, it is because technology is moving so fast that prices are being driven down, making such items more widely available. This is not always good news, though, particularly where children are concerned.
It may be a good thing that children are so technologically savvy that they are able to get online with greater ease than their parents probably can, as the economy is very much dependent on computer technology. Children are therefore potentially better placed to find a job when they are older, as using technology will come naturally to them. However, it also means that when they are suddenly without technology it can be difficult for them to cope. If there is a power cut or something breaks children often don't know what to do with themselves, as they are so used to playing computer games or watching television that they don't know how else to keep busy.
Much of children's spare time is dominated by technology. When they are at school children are often expected to use computers, but even when they come home they usually have to go online to do their homework, and as soon as they have done that they play computer games or watch DVDs. In the past children would have spent their free time reading books, and thus taking an active role in processing information, rather than taking a passive role by taking part in activities such as watching television.
If children weren't reading they would have been playing outside with their friends, and it is no coincidence that as technology has dramatically improved, obesity has started to become more of a problem for youngsters as they are not doing enough exercise.
As owning a particular technological innovation becomes the norm, there is more pressure on children to possess such gizmos, or else feel like an outsider amongst their peers. However, not everyone can afford to have the latest mobile phone or mp3 player, even as prices are tumbling, which can affect children. Children whose parents cannot afford to buy them a phone can feel like outsiders and find that they are picked on for being poor, which is clearly not good for their self-esteem. It also demonstrates that technology has become so entrenched in people's everyday lives that it sets those who do not have access to this technology apart, whether they are children or adults.
Technology has a positive role to play in society, but it can also have a detrimental impact on children if they fail to realise that owning the latest gadgets and gizmos is not the be all and end all of life, which it is clearly up to their parents to relay to them.
It may be a good thing that children are so technologically savvy that they are able to get online with greater ease than their parents probably can, as the economy is very much dependent on computer technology. Children are therefore potentially better placed to find a job when they are older, as using technology will come naturally to them. However, it also means that when they are suddenly without technology it can be difficult for them to cope. If there is a power cut or something breaks children often don't know what to do with themselves, as they are so used to playing computer games or watching television that they don't know how else to keep busy.
Much of children's spare time is dominated by technology. When they are at school children are often expected to use computers, but even when they come home they usually have to go online to do their homework, and as soon as they have done that they play computer games or watch DVDs. In the past children would have spent their free time reading books, and thus taking an active role in processing information, rather than taking a passive role by taking part in activities such as watching television.
If children weren't reading they would have been playing outside with their friends, and it is no coincidence that as technology has dramatically improved, obesity has started to become more of a problem for youngsters as they are not doing enough exercise.
As owning a particular technological innovation becomes the norm, there is more pressure on children to possess such gizmos, or else feel like an outsider amongst their peers. However, not everyone can afford to have the latest mobile phone or mp3 player, even as prices are tumbling, which can affect children. Children whose parents cannot afford to buy them a phone can feel like outsiders and find that they are picked on for being poor, which is clearly not good for their self-esteem. It also demonstrates that technology has become so entrenched in people's everyday lives that it sets those who do not have access to this technology apart, whether they are children or adults.
Technology has a positive role to play in society, but it can also have a detrimental impact on children if they fail to realise that owning the latest gadgets and gizmos is not the be all and end all of life, which it is clearly up to their parents to relay to them.
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