Sherry Turkle, ‘Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other’

 

In this reading report on Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other, I found out plenty of reasons for hating and praising technology for and it’s importance to all of us. This relates to my project ‘Identity’ as it consists of ways that technology has become a part of us. Importantly how we’re always available at any moment, like Sherry says that we’re “Always On” and how our online presence is used as escapism or even in our day to day lives. Sherry Turkle, thirty years ago joined the faculty at MIT to study computer culture, and how she was “among them and like any anthropologist, something of a stranger in a strange land” (Alone Together, p.ix)

“They called themselves “cyborgs” and were always wirelessly connected to the internet, always online” (Alone Together, p.152)

In the beginning of chapter 8 Sherry talks how she looked up to Pia Lindman who was apart of MIT Media and by 1996 she met researchers of MIT are they were called the ‘cyborgs’ and how they were the future. Importantly how that became their identity ‘cyborgs’ humans with part machinery  meaning then became so involved with machinery, wires and virtual connections, like the quote above that they became one with it and their identity suddenly revolves around it. For example one of the cyborgs “in his mid-twenties, said he had ‘become’ his device” (Alone Together, p.152). Furthermore,  Sherry talks about how becoming one with devices has positive aspects, such as “making children and parents feel more secure” (Alone Together, p.152) and advancing medicine with new technology.  In addition, being more in connection with family as she uses her daughter as an example as shes studying aboard and so Sherry’s thankful for technology. 

“It is those on the phone who mark themselves as absent”

 (Alone Together, p.155)

Furthermore, Sherry talks about our new selves is being tethered and marketed absent. She goes on to explain how we become invisible to those who have the company of technology. I found this interesting, as is something I’ve never realised, such as people talking on the phone in public suddenly have a private circle and strangers will be compelled to not listen and ignore them. Although it could go the other way round such as the people on the phone are the one that are compelled to ignore the public and only focus on the company of their phones. Overall, I believe we have the ability to be absent, to disappear into thin air, like magic with the power of the phone. 

Being tied down to our phones meant they follow us around. “My Paris came with the thrill of disconnection from everything I knew, my daughter’s Paris did not” (Alone Together, p.156), in a way this tuned into a form of escapism. Escaping from your life, which is your phone. However, that’s not possible because we use our phone for multiple things and is needed, so wherever we go our life problems will always follow us. In a way the temptation of easy life and endless amusement keeps us close to it, but in the end it only hurts us. On the other hand, in my own experience technology has given me plenty, but escapism was the most important. Technology invited movies, ideas, inspiration and more within the palms of your hands, which helps create and mould one’s identity. 

“Not sufficient, you can design a customized avatar from scratch. Now, pleased with ‘your’ looks” (Alone Together, p.158)

To continue, another way they eased technology into our lives was its function, the opportunity to create a fake persona, fake identity online, with perhaps an avatar in a game or just ones photos. Facebook or Instagram are platforms where we can update our profile showing our identity, “but our profile ends up as somebody else-often the fantasy of who we want to be” (Alone Together, p.153). The fact Sherry uses the word “our” instead or “your” implies how she’s trying to say we’re all guilty of this at some point even her. This point relates to my object which is my Magic 8 Ball, as it revolves around the idea of escapism and decision making, as the word fantasy said in the quote resembles the idea of us using technology as a way of escapism. Perhaps going online and seeing the perfect version of yourself is a way of escaping to somewhere better and completely in your control, thus like the Magic 8 Ball is supposed resemble fortune telling for your perfect future, however, not in your control. I believe technology and magic are in the same category, for example magic tricks use tools to create the illusion of magic and thus you feel like running to this enchanted world, well knowing it’s all tricks done with physical things, just like a phone for example and the Magic 8 Ball. Both are the same but one is labelled modern/future while the other is not. Both are also have the capability to make life easier and perhaps that’s what’s tempting. “The cyborgs were a new kind of nomad, wandering in and out of physical real” (Alone Together, p.152)

References;

Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other (New York: Basic Books, 2011), pp. 151–170