The Impact of Technology on Rural Living

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Photo by Orlova Maria on Unsplash

Exodus from country to cities

In the past the need for jobs, modern conveniences, education and social interaction, drove people away from the country to the cities, where opportunity was greater. The age of technology has totally shifted this outlook and is bringing people back to the bush. Living in a rural area once meant that lifestyles were more basic, attracting people interested in sustainability, environmental awareness, farming and self-sufficiency, all of which required certain trade-offs.

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The Rural Option

Today folks choosing the rural option enjoy the best of both worlds, belonging to small close knit communities, enjoying fresh air and locally grown produce, while having the world at large at their fingertips. In the country we now have fast Internet connections, smart TV’s and swimming pools; all thanks to the age of technology that we now live in.
Mobile phone communication and social media has vastly improved communication for people in rural areas, giving families access to information in times of hardship or medical emergencies. Self-sufficiency no longer relies on what you already know, facts can be gathered on any subject in a few minutes, offering diverse choices to the way we go about our daily lives.

Homeschooling

Parents who choose to educate their children from home have access to the latest technologies used in distance education, where the kids interact with teachers and other students using live video based classrooms. No wasted travel time, so typically experienced by rural families travelling great distances every day to and from school.

Working from Home

More and more families now run an Internet based business from home, instead of travelling to work every day, enabling them to provide a better environment for their children and spend more quality time together as a family. Cottage industries selling hand made products can be sold worldwide through a website, as well as at local markets. Business overhead costs are minimal when run remotely, enabling business owners to employ stay at home employees from afar..

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The DIY Revolution

More time at home can also lead to monetary savings, due to having more time for DIY solutions to things we would traditionally call a tradesman in for. DIY videos for every conceivable project or repair are available on YouTube and other websites

Technology does however have its drawback in the country side. Our children are more likely to curl up with a device than read a book or go and climb trees or ride horses with their friends. We need to recognise the pitfalls and work towards utilizing the advantages of technology, whilst being aware of the negative impact to find a healthy balance.

The Future

The future will see an increase in home based employment as more and more companies base themselves away from the big cities. Rural areas will increasingly become more popular for companies, offering cheaper rents, the home-based option and remote based employees.The decision to move back to the country will be a no brainer as cities become traffic clogged, and very expensive. People will lean more towards small country communities which have all the upsides of city living without the downsides. Grocery delivery options for on-line shoppers will become more diverse, utilizing drones which is already developing and will mean less traffic on the roads. I believe that the transition back to rural living is on the rise as more and people realise the advantages of being part of a small community and home based lifestyles.

This article was created for a local community newspaper called The Uki News? I write the technology article every 2 months. Thought I would post it here on Steemit.

If in doubt move to the country and give it a go, you will not be sorry.

Thanks for reading my post

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