Worried and more than a little scared...
Yep. This is how I feel after reading the first 50 pages of Turkle's book. At this point I'm not even sure that I want to keep reading it, or to finish it. It's like one of those scary movies where you know awful things are going to happen in the end and you have a horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach. Do you sit and watch/read and wait for it to happen, even though you know it is going to be bad? Or do you close the book and stick your head in the ground and hope it will all go away?
I'm also experiencing this book on two levels. The first is as a mother who sees her teenage kids and their behaviours and habits reflected and written about on the pages of the book. This is very scary. (Side note - it is also very weird that her daughter is also named Rebecca and Turkle's daughter is basically the same age - I think I'm over-identifying!) I worry about how much technology has already impacted my kids' lives and what impact it will have on their relationships with others and themselves. Is it OK for me to aquiese to their preference to texting just so I can keep the lines of communication open, or should I be trying to call them more? Am I settling for the lowest common denominator in order to maintain communication? The second level of concern is as a member of society. Is this the kind of communication I want with people in the future? I'm starting to get tired of listening to people talk (loudly) on their cell phones, the lack of eye contact, the constant interference of a smart phone and the retreat from interacting with others. Maybe I'm getting old, but I'm not sure I like it, even though I love new technology...can we find a way to have both?
As I ponder these larger issues, I think I'm going to be more mindful of ensuring that my son's Ipod is not on the table at dinner, and that my daughter is not doing other things on her computer while she is Skyping with us from her new university in Florida.... Small changes but maybe a few steps toward what Turkle is proposing...
Nicely said Theresa. I really believe it's the small things that will make the difference. We have let the pendelum swing the other way as a society, now it's up to bring it back. I on the other hand, was so excited when reading Turkle because she was able to articulate what was in my head and I was having trouble doing it. I know what she says is unnerving, but look what can happen now that the ugly truth is out there. The more people who start doing the little things that you are going to do, is, what's going to make the difference. Now that we have identified some of the issues, we can do something about it. :)
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