Project #1

1300 Final paper

Technology is affecting our daily lives through conversation and how we interact with people. For me I look at technology more as a tool for communication and expressing thoughts or feelings without having to physically be there. The message that Sherry Turkle, a professor of Social Studies of Science and Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in her passage “The Empathy Diaries”, she’s trying to come across the fact that technology has had a big negative impact in today’s society and has made people lack empathy. She says that when we’re too into technology, we miss key factors in life on how to communicate. But I don’t fully agree with that statement. I believe that technology can have a positive impact on people when it’s not being overused as it helps create connections and conversations.

Going deeper into what the basis of a conversation is, when two or more people exchange words on their thoughts, feelings or even ideas. I somewhat agree with Turkle’s idea of a conversation. I think that being able to have a conversation is very important. Like it says “Conversation helps students build narratives” (Turkle 347). Conversations, whether in the classroom or in everyday life, provide an opportunity for individuals to reflect on their thoughts, make sense of their experiences, and communicate them to others. But the part that I disagree on is when Turkle states that “because of technology people lack empathy” (350). Humans show empathy when they show compassion to someone else, and helping others. It holds value on the human experience because when you tend to do those things it really helps express to others the type of person you are towards them. And not only that I tend to believe that technology can help spark up conversation. I don’t completely disagree with Turkle about some people lacking empathy due to overuse of technology but like I said before there is a positive and negative to that statement. A good example of someone using technology to start up a conversation is when you see someone’s post on social media and you end up seeing them later that day and bring up a conversation on that post. It’s still important that people understand how to conversate with others because if you avoid talking to people, it can leave you feeling really isolated and lonely. Over time, it might mess with your mental health, making stress or anxiety worse. You could miss out on chances to learn new things or connect with others, and problems might pile up because you’re not talking things out. It also makes it harder to understand and manage your own feelings, and the feelings of others. You might start feeling frustrated and your worldview might shrink because you’re not hearing other perspectives.

Turkle argues that the younger generations are obsessed with technology but age gap is very important in this topic. I believe that once you hit a certain age you understand perspective on balancing these two things. You look at it more as a beneficial tool to communicate with others. Maturity really shapes how we use technology. As we people get older, you start to understand its role in their lives in a more thoughtful way. They often get better at in person interactions, realizing how important it is to have meaningful conversations face to face. As we get older, we tend to appreciate the depth of real human connections more, and we see the value in spending quality time with others, rather than just relying on online communication. For instance, we may use technology to keep in touch with loved ones who are far away, but they also prioritize in-person time when possible, recognizing that it’s these moments that truly strengthen relationships. Plus, with age comes a greater sense of self-awareness, so adults are more likely to set boundaries with their phones. With all that being said I do feel like getting into technology too young will affect your socializing skills and make things a little harder to understand in the journey of life. Turkle uses this reference of these 14 year old kids going on a 3 day wilderness hike/trip with no phones. The biggest impression to them was not having a phone. She says “Don’t people know that sometimes you can just look out the window of a car and see the world go by and it’s wonderful“(48). Pointing out the fact that people don’t often notice the world around them and connect with the present moment. For many young people, growing up with smartphones and constant access to social media can diminish their ability to appreciate the world as it is. Being constantly into technology can make it difficult to value simple, meaningful experiences like a face-to-face conversation or the quiet beauty of passing by landscapes/nature. People tend to not appreciate the beautiful things around them when they are lost in their phones. At the end of the day you control how much meaning technology has in your life. You either use it for benefits or you overuse it which will be unbeneficial.

Most people can relate to what Turkle is trying to say about the overuse of technology. As much as people try to deny it, myself included, we’re all guilty of using technology more than we should. It’s easy to get caught up in the constant notifications, endless scrolling on social media, and all the other stuff tech offers. Some people realize the negative impact and try to take control by setting screen time limits, deleting apps, or even reading books to disconnect and refocus. These are all beneficial and show self-discipline, but it’s often harder than it seems. While the intention is there, breaking free from the grip of technology can feel like a battle, especially with how deeply integrated it is into our daily routines. Even when we try to disconnect, we often find ourselves reaching for our phones out of habit, or feeling the pressure to stay connected for fear of missing out. It’s a challenge that requires constant self-awareness and effort, but the small steps people take to regain control can lead to a healthier relationship with technology.

Turkle quotes that “we are forever elsewhere” and I can definitely see the truth in that statement. In today’s world, it’s easy to get lost in our phones, checking social media or scrolling away while we’re physically present in a social situation. We might be sitting in the same room as someone, but our minds are somewhere else. And the result is that we’re not fully connecting with others or engaging in the moment like we should. Conversations are meant to be moments where we connect with others, share our thoughts, and build relationships. But when we’re not fully focused, we miss out on the little things that make those connections meaningful. It’s not just about the words we say, it’s about reading the other person’s body language, the tone of their voice, and seeing emotions. Those little things are what help us understand each other on a deeper level. In the end, it’s all about finding a balance with technology in our lives. It’s a great tool for staying connected and making things easier, but it shouldn’t replace the real, in person moments that matter. By being mindful of how much time we spend on our devices and making an effort to truly be present with the people around us, we can enjoy the best of both worlds. Technology can enhance our lives, but it’s the in person face to face connections and those moments of genuine interaction that really make life meaningful.

Project #1 800 word draft

Technology is affecting our daily lives through conversation and how we interact with people. The message that Turkle, a professor of Social Studies of Science and Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in her passage “the Empath diary”, she’s trying to come across the fact that technology has had a big negative impact in today’s society and has made people lack empathy. But I don’t fully agree with that statement.

Going deeper into what the basis of a conversation is, when two or more people exchange words on their thoughts, feelings or even ideas. I somewhat agree with Turkle’s idea of a conversation. I think that being able to have a conversation is very important. Like it says “Conversation helps students build narratives.” (347). But the part that I disagree on is when Turkle states that “because of technology people lack empathy”. Humans show empathy when they show compassion to someone else, and helping others. It holds value on the human experience because when you tend to do those things it really helps express to others the type of person you are towards them. And not only that I tend to believe that technology can help spark up conversation. I don’t completely disagree with Turkle about some people lacking empathy due to overuse of technology but like I said before there is a positive and negative to that statement. A good example of someone using technology to start up a conversation is like when you see someone’s post on social media and you end up seeing them later that day and bring up a conversation on that post. It’s still important that people understand how to conversate with others because if you avoid talking to people, it can leave you feeling really isolated and lonely. Over time, it might mess with your mental health, making stress or anxiety worse. You could miss out on chances to learn new things or connect with others, and problems might pile up because you’re not talking things out. It also makes it harder to understand and manage your own feelings, and the feelings of others. You might start feeling frustrated and your worldview might shrink because you’re not hearing other perspectives. I do think age factors into this whole turkles message on technology. I believe that once you hit a certain age you understand perspective on balancing these two things. You look at it more as a beneficial tool to communicate with others. With the maturity of getting older you learn to value in depth face to face conversations. With all that being said I do feel like getting into technology too young will affect your socializing skills and make things a little harder to understand in the journey of life. Turkle uses this reference of these 14 year old kids going on a 3 day wilderness hike/trip with no phones. The biggest impression to them was not having a phone. She says “Don’t people know that sometimes you can just look out the window of a car and see the world go by and it’s wonderful “ which I think is a great thing to say because people tend to not appreciate the beautiful things around them when they are lost in their phones.

400 word draft

A conversation is when two or more people exchange words on their thoughts, feelings or even ideas. I somewhat agree with Turkle’s idea of a conversation. I think that being able to have a conversation is very important. Like it says “Conversation helps students build narratives.” (347). But the part that I disagree on is when Turkle states that “because of technology people lack empathy”. Humans show empathy when they show compassion to someone else, and helping others. It holds value on the human experience because when you tend to do those things it really helps express to others the type of person you are towards others. And not only that I tend to believe that technology can help spark up conversation. I don’t completely disagree with Turkle about some people lacking empathy due to overuse of technology but like I said before there is a positive and negative to that statement. A good example of someone using technology to start up a conversation is like when you see someone’s post on social media and you end up seeing them later that day and bring up a conversation on that post. It’s still important that people understand how to conversate with others because if you avoid talking to people, it can leave you feeling really isolated and lonely. Over time, it might mess with your mental health, making stress or anxiety worse. You could miss out on chances to learn new things or connect with others, and problems might pile up because you’re not talking things out. It also makes it harder to understand and manage your own feelings, and the feelings of others. You might start feeling frustrated and your worldview might shrink because you’re not hearing other perspectives. I do think age factors into this whole turkles message on technology. I believe that once you hit a certain age you understand perspective on balancing these two things. You look at it more as a beneficial tool to communicate with others. With the maturity of getting older you learn to value in depth face to face conversations. With all that being said I do feel like getting into technology too young will affect your socializing skills and make things a little harder to understand in the journey of life.