Growing up in the last decade of the 20th century, one of the most popular topics for debate and essay competitions in school was-Technology: Boon or Bane? People argued about the influx of Internet, websites,remote sensing, e-medicine, and other aspects where technology was making a beginning. At that time, I didn't think much about the "bane" part of technology. However, now I do.

Why this realization about the cons of technological advances? I see my husband, a software engineer, work all through the night, not get enough sleep. Technology of Internet has made it possible for all software professionals to work from home, without having to go to office. However, my observation is that this taxes them more, mentally, physically, and emotionally. When he had to go to office, he would get up, get dressed,and drive to work, met other people, exchange pleasantries, share a coffee break, etc. There was some change of surroundings. While working from home, he sits in front of the laptop, phone to his ear, and does not move for hours on end. He is constantly speaking, resolving technical glitches in software programs, and this constant sitting in one position, makes his back hurt. He does not get to watch television, or it runs on silent mode, with the captions on.

I, the wife, have to mind, what I am doing, where I am talking, or do other routine household chores. So this unsettles me a lot. My husband is home, physically, but mentally absent. I am more concerned with the amount of stress they undertake, because of this. My husband is woken up at odd hours, to resolve issues, and once he is up, he is able to move only after five hours of phone calls and typing furiously on the keyboard. He has had to go for therapeutic massages to relieve his back pain. I am afraid that at the age of 28 itself, he may need chiropractic care. He is quite healthy otherwise. Due to this mental and emotional drain at work, he is just not in the mood to go for even a walk in the evenings. All that I have described above, is not limited to my husband alone. When he is on these phone calls, there are at least 15 other people, putting in 20- 22 hour work days along with him.

I am very thankful, that I did not enter into the same field as my husband. I would have never been able to put up with this kind of stress. Another aspect of my gratitude is in the fact that my parents retired, just as this technology mania was getting a foothold in every aspect of life. Even people working in field sales, do not have to go to office these days. They visit clients, and then file reports from home. I am not saying that technology is bad, just that its effects on people's physical and mental well being, are not good.

Perhaps,for that too,  I should look out for e-medicine,and online counselling sessions/ therapists?