400-500 Word Draft

Technology has the feel of a lifeline in our world right now as we are living in a highly connected world. It has been shown to cause damage to our daily life and us as humans. The way we connect and learn has been harmed with the constant improvements and how we rely on technology and the internet. Sherry Turkle, the author of The Empathy Diaries and a world renowned researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discusses that our addiction to screens ruins our ability to connect to other humans. She thinks technology is replacing our conversation with something that detaches us from reality. Nicholas Carr argues similar ideas in “Is Google Making us Stupid”. He looks at tools like Google causing us to not have the ability to focus, think for ourselves, and fully engage in ideas. Carr takes an interesting look at the brain and how it is being reprogrammed due to having the internet at the access of our fingertips. Carr and Turkle together show their research and how technology has increasingly moved more to the center of our lives. We are now at risk losing not only our emotional intelligence but our connections and human interactions. Personally, I look at the pros and cons of technology. It has made my life and education easier and more efficient. However I lack the intimacy of human interaction and the ability to think deeply on my own. Through reading these articles it is something we need to be aware of to let our brains grow and develop human connection before it becomes too late.

In our world that is now being dominated by technology and the internet Nick Carr and Sherry Turkle both discuss the ways that technology is changing our habits and potential as humans. Carr talks about how he is losing his love and talent for deep reading and thinking by the constant distractions of the digital age, “Now my concentration starts to wander after two or three pages. I get fidgety, lose the thread, begin looking for something else to do. I feel as if I’m always dragging my wayward brain back to the text. The deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle.” His experience is relatable to most of us and highlights how the internet is consistently rewiring our brains to look for quick access to information. This is making our long term focus feel increasingly out of reach. I relate with Carr’s words when it comes to struggling against the same restless distraction while trying to concentrate on school work or even daily tasks. When I am reading a book, writing for a class or even just simply thinking, my mind starts to feel scattered. I am being constantly pulled away from reality. Whether it is by notifications on my phone or laptop, social media, or the efficiency of information through the internet I am always distracted. What I once did when I was younger felt so easy whether it was getting lost in a good book or enjoying what I was learning. Now I feel like I have to put my full effort into these tasks that are supposed to be enjoyable. Through his text it is a frustrating realization, knowing that what is meant to enhance our lives can also damage us and how we interact meaningfully with the world around us.

800 Word Draft

Technology has the feel of a lifeline in our world right now as we are living in a highly connected world. It has been shown to cause damage to our daily life and us as humans. The way we connect and learn has been harmed with the constant improvements and how we rely on technology and the internet. Sherry Turkle, the author of The Empathy Diaries and a world renowned researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discusses that our addiction to screens ruins our ability to connect to other humans. She thinks technology is replacing our conversation with something that detaches us from reality. Nicholas Carr argues similar ideas in “Is Google Making us Stupid”. He looks at tools like Google causing us to not have the ability to focus, think for ourselves, and fully engage in ideas. Carr takes an interesting look at the brain and how it is being reprogrammed due to having the internet at the access of our fingertips. Carr and Turkle together show their research and how technology has increasingly moved more to the center of our lives. We are now at risk losing not only our emotional intelligence but our connections and human interactions. Personally, I look at the pros and cons of technology. It has made my life and education easier and more efficient. However I lack the intimacy of human interaction and the ability to think deeply on my own. Through reading these articles it is something we need to be aware of to let our brains grow and develop human connection before it becomes too late.

In our world that is now being dominated by technology and the internet Nick Carr and Sherry Turkle both discuss the ways that technology is changing our habits and potential as humans. Carr talks about how he is losing his love and talent for deep reading and thinking by the constant distractions of the digital age, “Now my concentration starts to wander after two or three pages. I get fidgety, lose the thread, begin looking for something else to do. I feel as if I’m always dragging my wayward brain back to the text. The deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle.” His experience is relatable to most of us and highlights how the internet is consistently rewiring our brains to look for quick access to information. This is making our long term focus feel increasingly out of reach. I relate with Carr’s words when it comes to struggling against the same restless distraction while trying to concentrate on school work or even daily tasks. When I am reading a book, writing for a class or even just simply thinking, my mind starts to feel scattered. I am being constantly pulled away from reality. Whether it is by notifications on my phone or laptop, social media, or the efficiency of information through the internet I am always distracted. What I once did when I was younger felt so easy whether it was getting lost in a good book or enjoying what I was learning. Now I feel like I have to put my full effort into these tasks that are supposed to be enjoyable. Through his text it is a frustrating realization, knowing that what is meant to enhance our lives can also damage us and how we interact meaningfully with the world around us. 
Turkle also reflects on what technology does to the way we interact through conversation, “I hear a desire for distraction, comfort, and efficiency. But I also know that these moves won’t allow conversation to do the work it can do.” Turkle points out how our use of computer communication damages and makes us lose interest in real human connection. The more we use technology for convenience and fast answers the less patience we have for the real world and human connection. I relate to Turkle’s point in my own life, mostly when I have thought back to the way I interact. Many times I would rather send a quick text instead of a meaningful call or scroll mindlessly through my phone while my roommate or a friend is trying to talk to me. The charm of convenience is often easier than the effort of real connection and putting yourselves in other shoes. These shortcuts I have taken leave me feeling more distant and have less connections with friends. It makes me feel like I’ve missed out on the possibility of greater connection or insight. Real conversations, the ones that require presence, openness, and empathy sometimes feel like they are long gone. Even if it is not me who is distracted in a conversation it feels like there is always someone else who is. My generation is slowly losing the intimacy we crave from the access to technology at our fingertips. Carr and Turkle share similar views and are worried about the same outcome however Carr is focused on the cognitive effect and Turkle on the social and emotional loss. They both deeply show a concern whether its google making us stupid or the loss of genuine connection.