Connected, but Alone by Sherry Turkle: REACTION PAPER

    Sherry Turkle, a Sociologist and Psychologist, tries to convince people during her speech on April 4^th year 2012 at TEDTalks, a non-profit organization that spreads ideas through informative and powerful talks, about how technology separates us from the reality of socializing. People are overwhelmed on how quickly technology advances as time moves, as we familiarize and connect ourselves to social networks, we tend to neglect the essential of having face-to-face conversations. Professor Turkle, that works at MIT and a New York Best-selling Author, proclaimed that texting or sending electronic mails is not enough as regards to learning and understanding each other and ourselves. Conversation can really matter for this will teach us to converse with ourselves and to reflect. People, nowadays, do not even know how to start a conversation, we want to be with each other, but we were too focused on our gadgets. In this way, we are getting used to the concept of being “Alone Together”. Relationships are too demanding that we short-change ourselves. We sacrifice conversation for we think that no one would listen to us. As we feel that no one is listening to us, we divert our attention to social media, and even to sociable robots, as if they have empathy. We connect to technology as if they can be our companion to eliminate the feeling of being lonely. ‘We expect more from technology and less from each other’, as Professor Turkle pointed out during her talk. Technology gives us the illusion of this will be our best friend or companion without the demands of friendship. The machines and gadgets that we use every time provide us three gratifying fantasies, that we can put our attention everywhere we want, that technology will listen to us, and we have companion. “I share therefore I am”, this new regime describes how connection affects our humanity. We connect each time but we do not notice that we are becoming isolated. Professor Turkle suggested that to get rid of the feeling of being alone or lonely is to start considering solitude as a good thing, and with this, we will develop a self-aware relationship with people surround us, and self-reflection. We are plugged in, we are connected, but technology separates us from people and from ourselves.

            Technology is psychologically powerful that change our mind, heart and who we are. Teens and even elders are too connected with social media. People post, share, tweet, react and comment, we can say that people are social when it comes to virtual reality but become unsocial when face-to-face relationships. At home, we can notice children waking up without even greeting their parents and also the parents due to devices. Children, who used to play classic outdoor games but now, with technology, they are too focused playing on their phones without even giving a glance with each other. Machines change how we used to do, how we act, how we feel and think without realizing and noticing the changes. We might not notice that we are being unsocial, that we can’t even start a conversation with our friends, with our loved-ones. People being social and unsocial, the dual effect of technology.

            “Alone Together”, the book of Sherry Turkle, tackles about technology changes humanity and people neglecting relationship with real ones. Human expect more from devices and less from each other. People feel loneliness as we think that no one would listen. With the feeling of loneliness, we tend to switch off our human lives and connect to technology simulation. We believe that in device networks, with Siri, with Furby, a fluffy robot toy that was popular in 1990s, we can be heard. But this mindset separates us from the real world, from the real human who have empathy, who have feelings, can face death, and know life. We were too amused with the great effects that technology give us but too disconnected with the mere fact that more gratifyingly advantages will be provided by reality.

            People are connected, but machines and devises set us apart. We sacrifice face-to-face relationships, conversations, just for the thought that we always have companion through technology. Technology helps us to live our lives effortlessly and we should use this in proper ways that will benefit us instead of ruining our relationships. I am hopeful that we will realize soon the drawbacks that technology-advancement is giving us. I believe that these mini devices in our pockets will bring change, not for who we are, but to change those dishonest acts. I also believe that people’s endless connection and unity towards success is in our grasps.

References:

Pangambam, S. (2014, December 14). Retrieved from The Singju Post:

https://singjupost.com/connected-but-alone-sherry-turkle-ted-transcript/?singlepage=1

Turkle, S. (2012). Connected, but Alone. TED Conference. TEDTalks.

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7Xr3AsBEK4

Speakers & Advisors: Stern Strategy Group. (n.d.). Retrieved from Stern Strategy Group:

            https://sternspeakers.com/speakers/sherry-turkle/

Behr, R. (2011, January 30). The Observer: The Guardian. Retrieved from The Guardian:

            https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/jan/30/alone-together-sherry-turkle-review