Tech making us less capable: أفكار لمقال IELTS

Calculators, spell-checkers and satellite navigation have made daily tasks easier, but some argue that they leave people less capable. I agree with this view to some extent, although I think the picture is more balanced than it first appears.

There is clear evidence that reliance on technology weakens certain skills. Students who always use a calculator may struggle to estimate answers or to notice when a result is obviously wrong. Likewise, spell-checkers correct mistakes automatically, so many people no longer learn how words are properly spelt. Navigation apps are an even better example: drivers who follow a voice without looking at the surrounding streets often fail to build a mental map, and they feel helpless when their phone battery dies. Skills that are not practised fade, and technology removes much of the practice.

Nevertheless, it would be wrong to say that people have become less capable overall. These tools free time and mental energy for more demanding work. An engineer who does not calculate figures by hand can concentrate on design problems, and a writer who is relieved of checking every spelling can focus on ideas and structure. In addition, technology allows people to do things that were previously impossible, such as finding their way around an unfamiliar country within minutes of arriving. The skills required have changed rather than disappeared.

The solution is to use technology deliberately. Schools can teach basic arithmetic and spelling before introducing tools, and individuals can occasionally navigate without help.

In conclusion, technology does cause some decline in basic abilities, but it also creates new capabilities. I therefore agree only partly, and I believe balanced use is the sensible answer.