The technological revolution has meant that people today enjoy unprecedented levels of convenience and comfort.
With all kinds of electrical appliances dotting almost every household, domestic chores such as washing clothes and cleaning floors are no longer a form of drudgery.
Hi-tech gadgets like iPods, PDAs (personal digital assistants), mobile phones and digital cameras have spiced up the lives of both teenagers and adults. It is not uncommon to see train commuters, with gadgets in hands, engrossed in all kinds of digital revelry.
Clutching their game consoles, teenage passengers may be fighting their enemies in a virtual world. Well-dressed adults could be listening to their favourite Canto-pop tunes from their Bluetooth wireless headphones. Armed with their Blueberries, people no longer need to go to office to strike deals with their business partners.
For all the convenience technology brings us, it can be a source of nuisance - or even misery - if used in the wrong way.
A recent survey has found that many teenagers listen to their iPods or MP3 devices for several hours every day.
To drown out the background noise on public transport, they will increase the volume of the music to over 85 decibels (equivalent to the sound of an MTR train gliding past at top speed). Prolonged exposure to such high-volume music could do irreparable harm to their ears.
