Technology is appealing to humans because we are imperfect. Sherry Turkle explains in her TED talk Connected, but alone? that real human relationships are messy, and technology has the ability to clean us up (2012). In fact, social media makes it possible to edit ourselves into an idealized self. The truth is, humans cannot manufacture perfect lives or perfect conversations. We are losing the ability to connect with each other face to face because we feel too human, too imperfect. Turkle explains that technology is starting to reach the point of major disruption. It seems a common trend that we want to be at distance from our friends and family but connected to them on our phones. Recently, being alone without the instant gratification of technology seems like torture when in fact, solitude is an important part of being human. Turkle says that “solitude is where you find yourself so you can reach out to other people and make connections” (2012). It is in the moments alone that you discover yourself so you can connect with others. Without solitude, how can we learn how to talk to people in real time if we are constantly hung up on social media.
References
TED. (2012, February). Sherry Turkle: Connected, but alone? [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together#t-2693
I appreciate your insights, Lauren, regarding the benefits of solitude. Currently, its benefits are being explored by social scientists and psychologists yet in ancient civilizations knowing oneself was considered a high priority. This was especially true for philosophers.
ReplyDeleteThere are benefits to solitude. As we grow to understand ourselves better we are equipped to respond to life rather than react to it. Taking a sabbatical from screens may require some initial adjustments. Like any new practice, start with small steps to build your endurance!
The comment by Jay Kay on November 189 as made by me. I have updated my profile name.
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