Technology Makes Us Afraid to be Alone

Figure 1. iPhones

In the previous posts, I have discussed the change that professionals must make due to digital technology, how important it is to train communication professionals so they could better perform daily job tasks with evolving technology and programs, and just how much journalism has evolved due to these new advancements in the digital era.  Additionally, I have discussed how digital technology has changed society's expectations and created this demand for instantaneous gratification, speed, and FOMO (fear of missing out) which results in constant connection to all things Internet and technology.  "Towards the end of the 19th century, artists sought to capture their subjects through portraits of individuals who were absorbed in the act of reading a book.  Today, it is the pictures of people standing in the middle of a crowd, captivated by what they are reading on their smartphone that best symbolizes the 21st century subject." (Furedi, 2014)

In my previous post, Absently Connected, I discuss some of the issues with being constantly connected to the Internet and our digital technologies.  One of the significant aspects is the fact that we are becoming more accustomed to this idea of being alone together.  We would much rather text, email, or Facebook message.  Real conversations are seemingly becoming a thing of the past.  "It takes place in real time and you can't control what you're going to say...Texting, email, posting, all of these things let us present the self as we want to be.  We get to edit, and that means we get to delete, and that means we get to retouch, the face, the voice...not too little, not too much, just right." (Turkle, 2012)  Let us take social media platforms as an example.  Many individuals rely heavily on social media as a communicative forum, but again we get to edit our profiles and images to our liking.  We are relying more heavily on technology to form relationships based on the selves we created and the selves we want to portray to others.  But how to we change this?

We should definitely become comfortable with the idea that being alone with our own thoughts and selves is a good thing.  Solitude is okay.  If you are at home, create spaces that are a strict "no tech

Figure 2. Texting During Dinner

zone."  For example, take "the kitchen, the dining room-and reclaim them for conversation.  Do the same thing at work.  At work, we're so busy communicating that we often don't have time to think, we don't have time to talk, about the things that really matter.  Change that." (Turkle, 2012)  We are using technology to redefine how we communicate and form bonds with each other.  We use technology to find a date, get a cab, find a restaurant, make friends, and even showcase our relationships via social media.  (It's not real until it's Facebook official is a pretty popular thought process!) Put down the technology and form real connections with other individuals by actually listening to what they have to say, even if it does not particularly interest you.  It is natural to fumble over words and make mistakes, as that is what makes us human.  We should absolutely "recognize our vulnerability." (Turkle, 2012)  Do not hold back from revealing this side to your family and friends and form ever lasting connections.  Life is short and we should spend our time living in the moment, not in the surface of our screens.

This video explains how technology and constant connectivity can have an affect on your personal life as the lines become blurred.









References:

Furedi, F. (2014, April). How The Internet and Social Media Are Changing Culture. Retrieved February 17, 2016, from http://www.aspeninstitute.cz/en/article/4-2014-how-the-internet-and-social-media-are-changing-culture/ 

Turkle, S. (2012, April). Transcript of "Connected, but alone?" Retrieved February 17, 2016, from https://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together/transcript?language=en 

Images: 

Figure 1. iPhones. [Jpeg]. Retrieved on February 17, 2016, from http://indeliblebranding.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/iphones2-300x225.png

Figure 2. Texting During Dinner. [Jpeg]. Retrieved on February 17, 2016, from http://socialmediaweek.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/06/global10.jpg

Video: 

The University of Sydney. (2011, November 9). Constant connectivity. [Video File]. Retrieved February 17, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byjHH4ilvVw