paper

In “The Flight from Conversation” Sherry Turkle, who is a psychologist and has studied for more than fifteen years about technologies of mobile communication, illustrates how we have began to sacrifice conversation for connection. Instead of having face to face conversations we are to busy with our digital devices to make a real connection outside of our fingertips which allows us to edit out conversations. She proceeds to say that we have found a new way to be alone and be together at the same time for the worst. An example she uses was when she used to go to her cottage and see people admiring the scenery with their heads up and now their heads are down looking at their handhelds. Lastly she concludes that we are ok with taking away only snippets of conversations had and not grasping to full intent. Although I agree that technology has certainly advanced many, I agree with Turkle that it is only disabling us from the world around us and allowing us to be ok with bits and pieces of conversations being controlled by technology.

Human connections are indulging and messy, yet technology has allowed us to clean it up not necessarily in a good way Turkle said. While I do believe it’s a good thing to say what one feels and be forward, I also believe that feelings should be spared sometimes. Being able to edit allows those in some cases have fuming arguments to be looked back at with a second glance and refocused for an alternative message. I am certainly a blunt person, and I like to set my cards out on the table, however, at what cost should I state my feelings in a message. A message of words written doesn’t get a true point across and in many cases can be taken out of context. Interactional face to face conversations when available...

... middle of paper ...

...erson. As Turkle said “We get used to being shortchanged on conversation and to getting by with less”.

Overall many may argue that technology has done nothing but advanced us by allowing us to connect with people we may have never had to chance to connect with or reconnect with a long lost relative, but we have settled for letting it take over most of our interactions with others for worse. Life is challenging, wonderful and even messy and there is no shame in letting it reflect in a well had personal face to face conversation. Some of the best moments had are one’s where you can see someone’s expression brought by a few words such as a mother being told she’s now a grandmother or being joined together in marriage. There will be many hard conversations that would be much easier had in a message, however, fears need to be faced and conversations need to be had.