Could a nations dependance on new technologies lead to its own demise?

As humans, it is in our biological make-up to continuously strive to find methods of making our lives altogether easier, and in turn improve our standards of living. It is no lie to say that, as a nation, Britain is now far more dependant on technology than ever before. Take for instance communication. In the not so distant past the only way to communicate to somebody who was any great distance away would have meant writing and sending a letter, which coincidently may have taken weeks to reach the recipient. Fast Forward a few hundred years; and with great advances in technology and technological research, you can speak to and see somebody on the other side of the world in a click of a button, and without even leaving your couch.

However, is it the endeavour for a better standard of living that could ironically lead to the demise of the nation? Has our dependance on technology blinded us to our own humanity?

It cannot be argued that 21st Century Britain is a far more lazier country than it was in the 20th Century. Britain is the 3rd fattest nation in the world behind only the U.S.A and Mexico, this has become a stigma that the Government is keen to shake off. Health secretary Andy Burnham has said "we are simply nowhere near as active as we should be,". Due to the influx of new technologies available to the general public; Britons have become couch potatoes, lacking excercise and motivation. Why bother writing out a letter by hand, pay for postage, walk to the post office to post it and then still have to wait for the recipient to recieve the letter, when you could sit in the comfort of your own home and send an e-mail? This is the attitude that is common through the majority of the british public.

There are some serious economic and social implications of the lazyness that stems from our nations dependance on technology. The cost of combating illness's related to obesity comes to a massive £7billon a year. Money that could be better spent on education, maintaining public areas and providing addequate equipment for troops fighting a war in Afghanistan. Britain is also facing a threat from 'cyberwarfare'. A concept that was once only heard of in sci-fi movies. Britains reliance on its technological infrastructure means if a cyber attack was to take place, Britain may fall to its knees. It seems however countries are aware of this threat. In an interview with BBC news, Greg Day, a primary analyst for security at MaAfee europe said, "There are at least five countries known to be arming themselves for this kind of conflict,".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8363175.stm

It must be said however, that although new technologies may be costing the nation in the sense of increasing NHS bills, it also boosts the economy and provides jobs and security to a nation. However the threat of cyberwarfare is very real, and, with our nation depending so much on modern technology in day to day life, have we become a sitting duck? Watch this space...