Last Wednesday in class, we discussed briefly the introduction and the first few pages of Sherry Turkle’s Along Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. According to Turkle, Tamagotchis, Furbies and toy seals are all forms of technology that we consider “almost alive”. Mr. Strangelove also asked the class whether or not we think that technology is harmful to our interpersonal relationships.
This wasn’t the first time I was asked the question : as a young adult, I have often been asked by my parents, my parents friends and older colleagues at work whether or not I think new media, especially Facebook and YouTube, are toxic in their own way for our social life. As usual, my first thought was “Of course not !” For many, Facebook is a great way to keep friendships alive despite distance or lack of time to hang out, and a way for your family to know what is going on in your life. However, after reading the first two chapters of Turkle’s book, my position shifted a little. I use Facebook to talk to my friends, to let them know what I’m up to, to see how their doing, and to catch up once in a while. I have 560 friends on facebook, and speak to about 5-10 a week, often the same 5-10. I have another portion of friends, say, 25, with whom I’ll chat or send a message now and then to know how they are. I ‘’creep’’ a lot of my facebook friends’ profiles when I am bored or procrastinating, and I don’t know what is going on in the lives of at least half the people I have on Facebook.
So why do we feel like having Facebook is keeping our relationships alive ? On the contrary, we are now hiding behing a computer to speak once every blue moon instead of sending Christmas cards or picking up the phone to ask, ‘’How are you? How is your life ?’’
I am anxious to see how Turkle’s book will change, or confirm, the way I feel about Technology, or robots, as she calls the.
the lavoies 