"Alone together"

Great article by Turkle. Everything she discusses hits home with me.  I have been “nervous” about this generation and their use of technology for a long time.  Turkle’s statement “My students tell me about an important skill: it involves maintaining eye contact with someone while you text someone else; it’s hard, but it can be done.” I think Mike Wesch would agree with this. The difference in opinions on technology between Turkle and Wesch I think is that Wesch advocates for this technology as tools in school so students can use what they know, to learn. Although Turkle might agree in some aspect, as do I, she advocates that our youth are losing something much more valuable; face to face conversation. Most of our students and young people don’t even understand this loss because they have grown up without it.

A story: Last year my son called me up from college. He was 19 almost 20 at the time. He grew up in this digital world but has always kept a distance. He has a Facebook page but since has decided he doesn’t like it. He doesn’t Tweet or do any of the other social media technology. His laptop is his biggest form of technology. He never had an IPhone until a month ago. He will be 21 in August. Anyway, he had just gotten off the bus and he said to me:  Mom, no one even looks at anyone anymore. When I’m on the bus everyone is looking down at their phones. There is never a hello, or even a smile. I hate it. I want to live in Fiji or some island where people talk to people.  I was totally impressed with his observation and out look on life.  Here is a young adult who lives in Boston and see’s what this digital world has created with people. Yes, “It’s a process in which we have shortchanged ourselves.”