Chapter 2 Your Environment Affects Who You Are
59
In addition, you can visit company Web sites
worldwide. A Web site is a location on the World
Wide Web that provides information, services, or
products. Each Web site is owned and managed by an
individual, company, or organization. Several hours
each day can be spent clicking a mouse and staring at
a computer screen. Sometimes, these hours compete
with other activities such as family responsibilities,
physical activity, and social events.
Technology advances also allow people to
automate the processes by which they shop, engage in
banking activities, and pay bills. By going online, bills
can be paid automatically using a computer to transfer
funds between accounts. Automated teller machines
(ATMs) allow people to withdraw or deposit money
into their accounts 24 hours a day. A personal digital
assistant (PDA), or handheld computer, can be used
as a telephone, calendar, or address book as well as to
provide Internet access.
Advances in technology make it easier to be in
contact with family and friends from any location.
Many family members have their own cell phones so parents and
children can be in touch at all times. Even when cell phones are turned
off, voice messages or text messages can be left and retrieved later.
Technology has brought about a new awareness of global conditions.
With TV and computers, people have a window on the entire world. You
can see how others live, and they can see how you live.
These advances in technology provide you with information,
convenience, and recreational opportunities that could only have been
imagined a few decades ago. Care must be taken, however, to prevent
technological devices from replacing valuable one-to-one
contact between people. Children as well as adults will increasingly
interact with electronic devices instead of with other people. As this
occurs, individuals may need to make a greater effort to spend time
with each other. Families will need to balance openness to learning
about and using new technologies with concern and emotional support
for one another.
Changing Economic Conditions
The economy has a continuing impact on people’s lives. There are
periods of economic growth and periods of recession. Young people
must learn to live with both affluence and scarcity.
Explore
Technology Technology
The Internet is a great resource,
but remember that anyone can state a
claim, opinion, or untruth in this public
forum. Always avoid questionable
sites. How do you know whether an
Internet site is valid and reliable? One
way is by checking the end of the
address, or URL (uniform resource
locator). If it is .gov (government) or
.edu (education), the site is usually
reliable. You can also use well-
respected groups whose addresses
end in .org (nonprofi t group), but
watch for possible bias. What other
URLs are currently in use?