Technology Stress

The problem of stress has become a major issue in our time, yet our life conditions are less stressful than those of our ancestors. How often do we have to flee from a wild animal, or face constant physical threats from the environment as did early man in whom the stress response first emerged? The answer is never, or at worst most infrequently. Conditions in contemporary society are less stressful than those of previous generations. Our society does, however, face problems of stress, many of which are created by changes in technologically advanced societies. The demands that trigger the same 'fight or flight' mechanisms that enabled our ancestors to survive may no longer be appropriate to the modern age, yet nevertheless still exist.

Technological progress needs some kind of working definition in order that a more meaningful discussion may arise. Here, technological progress will be defined as 'those changes which have been brought about in our society by the impact of the microchi...