Saturday, 12 October 2013

Connected, but alone?

SUMMARY OF VIDEO
                              
Sherry Turkle told us that technology is taking over our lives and we have to cut back on our use of it. She was telling us that computers put on a show and they don’t actually make us feel the way they say they do. Even though it is mostly stated that electronic devices are safe, there are many flaws that humans easily oversee. Having phones or iPod's constantly near you can affect your brain and trigger some types of mental disorders. Sherry told us that something can easily excite or make us feel happy like a text, but it is kind of like “false happiness”, because they robots act like they feel your emotions but they don’t. Nothing is better than your own kind; robots do not understand they act like they do. She told us that now day’s people don’t bring up a conversation with random people, they are slowly losing their socializing skills. This proves that we shouldn't let it take over everything.

QUESTIONS

                                     I.     Do you agree that technology changes who we are? Why or why not? Explain whether these changes are positive or negative.
                                             
                                        I agree that technology changes who we are. It allows us to polish who we are and show our fake selves to someone. We can always go back to a text and change up the words as long as we don't send it. We could act sad but actually be happy or laughing. Technology gives us a change to define who we are in a more polished way. We can also say things without meaning it. In a way these changes are positive, they allow us a change to change up our reactions to something. This also has a negative effect, people do not actually find out who the person truly is. For instance they might trust someone because they seem nice, but in reality they aren't trust able. On the internet I could also pretend to be someone else and fool other people.

 ii.      What does “alone together” mean to you?

  It means that we are slowly falling into the hands of technology. We are in the presence of other people, but we choose to involve technology to everything and use it wherever we go. For example if I sat in a bus and there was a random teenager beside me, he or she won’t say hi, they will probably on their phones or iPod's. 
                                                       'We expect more from technology than from each other'   - Sherry Turkle.

                            iii.      “We expect more from technology than we do from each other.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.

  I agree we do expect more from technology. Even if I was sitting next to my best friend, and we both had our iPod's I would most likely text her. We expect technology to make us feel better or keep us busy. Now days, we don't really expect other humans to do this. Technology is taking over; slowly we all are staring to expect more from technology because we could literally do anything on it. We prefer technology over our own species.

                           iv.      Do you think you are the same person when you text/email/comment that you are in “real life”? Why or why not? Explain.

         No I am nicer and more sympathetic when I’m texting my friends. Usually in real life I always blurt out things, but while texting I do not do that. I always send messages that are way nicer than I am. While texting I always change up the words and I can’t really blurt anything out.

                        v.      Would you rather text than talk in a conversation? Why or why not. Explain your thinking.

   I would rather talk in a conversation because sometimes I'm too lazy to text something that is really long so I just leave it. I also hate it when the other person texts something and I have to change my ENTIRE text, it is so annoying. When I talk in a real conversation, this doesn't usually happen and my voice is faster than my thumbs. By talking in a real conversation I can also get to know who that person really is and their initial reaction to something.

   vi.      Do you agree that technology is a form of companionship? Explain.

Yes, but it depends what kind of technology it is. If it is a microwave or stove, no, but if it is an iPod, laptop, computer, some robot or another electronic device, then yes. If you are texting someone then technically the device would be a companion because someone else is basically ‘talking’ to you. T.V’s are also companions because they get rid of your boredom and that’s what companions do.SO basically it depends on the situation and what kind of technology you are specifically using.

                                                                    MY PERSPECTIVE


In a way technology does both. It can help us and hurt us at the same time. Technology is something that it is sometimes so helpful that is turns harmful. Technology can make us lazy, extremely inactive, and it can lead to hearing and vision impairment. So technology can get really dangerous when you use it too much. Using technology too much can also cause us to stop socializing and everyone knows that when you stop using a skill, you eventually lose the ability to do it. Technologies can also allow high school students to cheat on tests. These students would get marks that they don’t deserve. Social websites also allow students to waste tons of time and procrastinate. This can lead to last minute projects and low marks. Technology also makes us dependent on it, if your friends are texting and you aren't online, it can make you feel left out when you check your messages. Even though it has bad sides, there are many helpful things about technology. Overall technology has made our lives easier and more efficient. Help on homework is always available, and you can always email your teacher if you need help. It even makes students’ lives more organized; they can always email themselves the homework or ask friends about it. Technology also allows us to pass free time and not be bored. It also makes our lives organized.  If we have any questions we could always search the question and be provided with the answer. If we don’t know how to do a certain thing, then we can always watch tutorials or get instructions on how to do it. These are the reasons why technology is harmful and helpful to us.

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