Connected, but alone? Let me look it up on my cellphone!
In a world of technology and social media, it can be
difficult to separate ourselves from the images we create of ourselves to the
reality right in front of us. In the video “Connected, but alone” by Sherry Turkle,
she discusses the importance of learning to be lonely and making real
connections with others. People use technology to make connections that give themselves
the illusion of companionship at their own convenience. In this generation, technology
is used to define ourselves and as a result, we feel the need to constantly
connect. However, in order to feel less alone, we need to learn to feel comfortable
in our own solitude.
In my own personal experience with technology, I have
found that it is very time-consuming. However, ironically, it is also a large
waste of time. I may not necessarily always feel the need to indulge in social
media, but at the same time to feel like I am “in the loop” I feel that I need
to post in order to “be seen” as Turkle mentions in her Ted Talk. In the future, I am hoping that social media will become a less relevant phenomenon in society and
that people will strive to make real personal connections.
Turkle, S. (2012). Connected, but alone? TED Talks.
Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together
I agree with all you said relating to Sherry Turkle's Ted Talk the idea of trying to be seen when you post an Instagram photo whether it be a new post about your weekend to an exciting life update. I myself have felt that specifically since social media constantly compares us to the idea that people lives are seen as perfect through the photos and videos they post. Since social media is apart of many people lives it hard to escape and shows how important real personal connections are.
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ReplyDeleteYour words speak volumes, especially with this new technological generation that we are drowning in. Social media is being used in ways thats is unnecessary. Does the time we spend scrolling through content uplift us or change our lives in any way? The majority of the time, the answer is no. I agree with the fact that technology should be used to promote and improve on real conversation and interactions with others. Technology has endless amounts of potential.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to social media, there is definitely pressure to keep up with it. When I am preoccupied with regular life, sometimes hours sometimes for days, I often feel like I've been missing out when I do think about social media again. Not only that, it feels like there is a constant push to portray happiness online even sometimes to extent of perfection. I agree with what you said about feeling the need to be seen, almost as if we barely exist to hundreds of people following you unless you post regularly or you see them in real life. It does feel like we need to stay active on social media to stay relevant in some people's lives. With close friends it's different but definitely with others that you may not see often.
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