Wasn't technology supposed to make the world a better place?

When I was younger, I really believed that technology would fix things. Faster computers, smarter phones, better apps. Everything was branded as “the future.” Every new gadget, every shiny interface, every headline promising a revolution felt like proof that the world was on the brink of something incredible. I believed it. I really did.

But standing here in 2025, I can’t help but wonder, did it ever? Technology didn’t make the world better. Or did it? Maybe the question isn’t so simple.

We were promised freedom and simplicity. What we got was addiction and distraction. Every app is designed to keep you scrolling. Every platform wants your data. Every “innovation” seems to exist only to squeeze more money out of people. We aren’t using technology anymore. Technology is using us—and it’s doing it with a smile on its face, whispering that this is what progress looks like.

Yes, we can work remotely, talk across continents, automate boring tasks. Those things are real. But look closer: we spend more time staring at glowing rectangles than actually living. Software is bloated, hardware is disposable, even basic websites feel heavier than they should. Why does a simple page need 5 MB of trackers? Why does a chat app push AI suggestions I didn’t ask for? Why does every service demand a subscription just to exist?

Technology was supposed to save time. Instead, it devours it. Technology was supposed to connect us. Instead, it isolates us. Technology was supposed to empower us. Instead, it controls us.

And here’s the thing: most people defend it. “That’s just progress.” Really? Endless notifications, subscription hell, digital garbage piling up everywhere. How is that progress? We’ve replaced thoughtful interaction with clicks and likes. Patience and focus with instant gratification. And somehow, we call it “better.” But better for who?

I still love building things. Writing code, creating something simple, clean, and fast. That’s the part of tech that feels human. That’s the part that feels like it’s actually helping someone. But the rest? The corporate machine, the bloated ecosystems, the constant hype around nonsense nobody asked for? That part makes me question everything.

Technology could have been amazing. It could have freed us, inspired us, changed the world. Instead, it quietly asks us to trade time for attention, connection for distraction, autonomy for convenience. And the scariest part? Most of us don’t even notice.

Yeah, technology is shit. And maybe, if we’re honest, it’s always been about the wrong things. But what if that was the plan all along? What if the “future” we were promised never really existed?