Loud Progress – How Technology Is Changing Our Quality of Life
Technological progress has profoundly reshaped human life – not only in its material aspects but also in its sensory dimensions. Machines, engines, and digital systems have made work, communication, and mobility more efficient, yet they have also created new forms of sensory overload. With every technological innovation, productivity increases, but so does the complexity of our daily lives. The promise of modernity – that technological development automatically leads to a better quality of life – is increasingly being questioned. It is becoming ever clearer that progress has side effects: noise, acceleration, and a pervasive restlessness that now shapes our rhythm of life.
Even during the Industrial Revolution, people worked in factory halls where noise, dust, and cramped conditions were part of everyday life. Technological progress brought prosperity and new professions, but it also came with health risks. Today, the world of work has changed, but the strain remains – simply on different levels. The noise of machines has been replaced by the noise of information. Constant availability, digital notifications, and time pressure create a form of mental noise that is hardly less exhausting than the clatter of early factories.
A study by the University of Nottingham finds that information overload and digital accessibility have “a significantly negative impact on well-being: too many communication channels and constant updates increase stress and fatigue” (Marsh et al., 2024).
The physical environment is also affected. Cities are becoming denser, streets louder, and both the air and our daily rhythm more hectic. Studies show that chronic noise exposure increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, sleep disorders, and depression.
The European Environment Agency speaks of a “growing health risk from urban environmental noise,” which often occurs alongside other stressors such as air pollution (EEA, 2023).
The grand narrative of progress – that everything is continually getting better, faster, more efficient, and wealthier – seems to be crumbling. We own more things than ever before yet have less time to enjoy them. We live in cities with gleaming glass façades but breathe poorer air. We sit in modern open-plan offices, shielded by acoustic panels or enclosed in small booths just to find a bit of concentration. We wear noise-cancelling headphones to block out the very noise we created ourselves. It is a strange contradiction: we develop technologies to protect ourselves from the consequences of other technologies – a cycle that is rarely questioned anymore.
In the process, we drift further away from what truly defines us as human beings – social closeness, tranquility, nature, meaning. Families suffer from time pressure, friendships from constant distraction, and many people feel lonelier than ever despite digital connectivity. We live in a system that prioritizes growth above everything else, overlooking the fact that true growth should not be measured in numbers but in quality of life.
A look to the north shows that things can be different. In countries like Norway, more emphasis has been placed in recent years on quality of life and sustainability. This includes quieter transportation systems, shorter working hours, and political programs that promote balance between work, leisure, and the environment. Studies indicate that “shorter working hours are associated with higher productivity and greater satisfaction” (The Week, 2022). These developments show that progress does not necessarily have to mean acceleration or noise. It can also lie in the ability to reduce and prioritize.
In Germany, however, the old logic of growth still seems to dominate: higher productivity, more consumption, more speed. The economic system is built on the assumption that constant growth leads to general prosperity. But the social and health consequences of this perpetual motion are becoming increasingly apparent – from burnout to social isolation. Already, Germany’s life expectancy has fallen to the lower ranks within Europe.
As we think about the future of work and life in the city, we must ask whether progress needs to be redefined. Technological development alone is not enough if it overwhelms people or ignores their needs for rest, social connection, and meaning. Sustainability must also include social and psychological dimensions.
A quieter, slower kind of progress could be a realistic goal – one that focuses not on perpetual growth but on quality of life. The challenge lies not in accelerating technology uncritically, but in shaping it so that it genuinely serves humanity.