The role of external objects in promoting social development and facilitating life cannot be ignored. From the mechanization process of the Industrial Revolution to today's rapid technological advancements, external objects have brought numerous conveniences to humanity, broadening the boundaries of cognition and production. Xunzi once said, "A gentleman is not different from others; he is good at utilizing external objects." Even ordinary people with the same nature can achieve significant improvements in production, life, and learning by effectively leveraging external objects. This statement highlights the key role of external objects in helping humanity enhance itself and achieve goals. However, alongside the conveniences, there is a gradual increase in people's dependence on external objects. As external objects play an increasingly important role in life, the boundaries of their reasonable use often become blurred, leading people to gradually develop an excessive reliance on them in the pursuit of efficiency and ease. This dependence stems from the human nature of "adaptation," where people tend to choose the least costly and easiest ways to achieve their goals, ultimately resulting in an over-reliance on external objects.
The advancement of external objects is undoubtedly an important driving force for human development. The Industrial Revolution made mechanized production possible, significantly enhancing productivity, allowing more people to benefit and obtain the necessities of life. Before the Industrial Revolution, manual production was inefficient, relying on human labor and simple tools, making it difficult to meet large-scale demand for quantity and quality. The emergence of machinery made large-scale production a reality, leading to a tremendous leap in societal productivity. This not only improved the living standards of the people but also laid the foundation for technological and economic development. Today, we can naturally view these changes as historical inevitabilities, but it was the assistance of external objects that made all of this possible.
The driving force of external objects is not only reflected in the production field but is also fully manifested in the advancement of transportation tools. The rapid development of transportation tools has made the world more interconnected, from the earliest horse-drawn carriages and sailing ships to today's cars and airplanes, gradually breaking the limitations of time and space for humanity. In the past, people needed months or even years to complete a long-distance journey, while today, a few hours of flight can take us to the other side of the world. The progress of transportation tools has not only brought convenience but also facilitated the exchange of economy, culture, and ideas. The communication flow between different civilizations has made the world more diverse and inclusive, also promoting the process of globalization. It can be said that the existence of external objects has shortened the distances in the world, making dialogues between civilizations more frequent, and it is through these tools that humanity has broadened its understanding and cognition of the world.
The advancement of modern technology has made the integration of external objects and life closer. Technological means such as smartphones, online shopping, food delivery, and mobile payments have greatly enhanced the convenience of daily life. Tasks that once required a lot of time and effort can now be easily accomplished with just a few clicks. This assistance from external objects has given us more leisure time, allowing us to better arrange work, study, and leisure activities. With technological advancements, the functions of external objects have become increasingly powerful, making our lives more efficient and convenient. However, as these external objects become more integrated into daily life, their proportion in our lives is also continuously increasing.
As people's dependence on external objects gradually increases, the boundary between reasonable use and excessive reliance becomes increasingly blurred. People often choose the easiest and least labor-intensive ways to complete tasks, which is a manifestation of "adaptation." Human nature drives us to seek the greatest return for the least effort, and the convenience of external objects perfectly aligns with this psychological need. Take smartphones as an example; originally used only as communication tools, they have now become an indispensable part of many people's lives. We use them for work, study, shopping, entertainment, and even socializing. At the same time, social media and entertainment applications have led people to gradually fall into dependence on them while enjoying convenience, even becoming unable to part with their phones. This dependence is not only reflected in wasted time but may also affect various aspects of life, weakening direct interaction with the real world.
With the deepening of external objects in our lives, our dependence on them tends to become excessive. For example, in the case of technological devices, more and more people rely on smart wristbands and health monitoring devices to manage their health, even depending on these devices' data feedback for daily diet, exercise, and sleep. Although these external objects can provide scientific health guidance, people have become overly reliant on them, losing their keen perception of their own physical condition. The excessive use of social media is another typical example. People spend a lot of time on social platforms, browsing friends' updates and posting about their lives, seemingly no longer paying attention to real interactions in reality, but rather immersing themselves in a virtual social world. This dependence undoubtedly has adverse effects on personal life and mental health.
The phenomenon of excessive reliance on external objects is ubiquitous in modern society; it not only causes people to lose their autonomy but also exacerbates anxiety and stress to some extent. Excessive reliance on external objects means that people entrust more life decisions to external tools rather than relying on their own judgment and abilities. This phenomenon has led many to become lazy, losing the courage and ability to face challenges. Even when encountering difficulties or discomfort in life, people are more inclined to rely on external objects to find solutions rather than proactively addressing them. If this behavior continues over time, it will not only weaken personal willpower and independence but may also lead to a loss of self-worth.
Therefore, while enjoying the conveniences brought by external objects, we also need to remain vigilant to avoid excessive reliance on them. The existence of external objects is meant to help us enhance efficiency and reduce unnecessary time and energy waste, but we must not lose our ability to control our lives in the process. Reasonably utilizing external objects, rather than allowing them to dominate our lives, is a challenge that modern people must face. To achieve this, we must first enhance our self-discipline, set clear boundaries, and avoid letting external objects excessively encroach on our time and energy. Secondly, we should actively cultivate independent thinking and action abilities, enhancing our proactivity in facing problems, and avoid handing over all difficulties and challenges to external objects for resolution.
The balance between the convenience and dependence on external objects is an important issue in modern life. We can enjoy the conveniences brought by technology, but we must also maintain the courage and proactivity to face life's challenges. External objects are merely auxiliary tools, not the entirety of life. Only on the basis of rational use of external objects can we truly enhance ourselves and achieve higher goals. Whether in learning, work, or life, the assistance of external objects should be aimed at enhancing our capabilities, not weakening our independence. By correctly viewing the role of external objects, we can find a balance between convenience and self-discipline, allowing external objects to become a support for our progress rather than a burden in our lives.
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