Blog Post #5

Technology has an impact on everything it encounters, but one of the most prominent aspects technology has impacted in our society is our children. Our children are exposed to immense amounts of technology. Between school and home, their entire day is based of the use of technology. My little cousin is 4 years old, and he is a pro at the game Angry Birds. Where did he learn how to play it? Well, on his own personal tablet of course. Technology has taken over the creativity of children. Instead of making up a game, kids are turning to their ipads and mobile devices to get them through awkward situations or situations they just don't want to be in. We are replacing conversations with our newborns with a TV screen. Our children are being brainwashed and it's all because of our generation allowing it.

Blog Post #4

Technology comes with a lot of positive attributes and negative attributes, it depends on how you look at it. I consider technology as a whole, a positive part of our growth as a world. Although, a lot of negativity comes along with it, technology has allowed many things to be possible. For example, yesterday I was put on bed rest for who knows how long, and I was able to contact my boss as well as my instructors to let them know I am unable to attend class/work. Without technology I would have used valuable recover time to go walk around and let them know. Using social media is the majority of where technology has its downfalls. For example, social media has allowed for more bullying, theft, and hate crime around the world. We have the ability to cut back on all of the hatred, but it would be difficult. Technology has allowed us to progress on so many levels it is not fair for us to only recognize how we have an increase in bullying and hate crimes, without technology we wouldn't have the ability to watch the news that is telling us about these hate crimes.

Critique of Sherry Turkle

Sherry Turkle, creator of the TED talk, "Connected, But Alone?", was able to persuade, inform and entertain her audience with the overuse of technology across the globe. Turkle was able to accomplish spreading awareness of the our societies use of technology and how it has impacted our lives enough for us to adapt to it's existence. She was able to entertain her audience by connecting her topic pack to their lives. She began her speech with a scenario of how her daughter texted her "Good luck" before she came on the stage. Along with that, Turkle explained that text messages are good for showing you are thinking about someone, but is not meant for building a relationship with someone. Turkle made multiple good statements. but didn't provide her overall point until the talk was almost complete. Although Turkle did present an overall point, it was hard to follow where she was going with the talk. She was very persuasive when she used her words. Turkle hit home when she explained that "we expect more from our technology than we do from each other." I agree that we need to cut back on the use of technology because I am a tech-fanatic. I am constantly on my phone, even if I have nothing to look at. Our communication skills have decreased and we are teaching our kids to hide behind the keys of a message board. I think Turkle makes a great point that it is time to reduce the use of technology. We are becoming so attached to our devices that we become anxious and lost without them at our hip. It's time to make a chance, and Turkle did a great job of showing that.

Sherry Turkle, speaker of the TED talk "Connected, But Alone?", made a good argument regarding the overuse of technology. Turkle explained how technology has changed who we are as a society and has opened doors to places we don't want to go. Technology has caused us to lack in human relations, "being together while not together". Technology has turned real life communication into some type of scary thing that we try to avoid at all costs. Online we are able to edit and delete the things we say, in real life we don't have the option to control what we say, leaving more room for a messy relationship. Whether it's a family reunion or a work meeting, humans are drawn to their phone anytime they are uninterested in the topic at hand. It is an escape mechanism. I'll admit, I reach for my phone in every awkward encounter I have, just because it's easier than facing what's happening around me. Text messages has one direct purpose: to let someone know you are thinking about them. Society has become so attached to mobile devices that now we use texting to meet people and get to know them on a personal level. Whether it is a romantic interest or just a friendship. The problem is that people are only listening to things they want too, they aren't expanding their interests further. We have come to the point where "we expect more from technology than we do from each other." In the process of using technology we have lost the ability to be alone. When we are alone, we reach for our phones and connect with people all around the world in order to get the feeling that someone is there with you. We have turned "being alone into something that feelings like a problem." We are at the point were we can still make a difference and slowing return to our old ways, or we can continue to corrupt our lives with more advanced technology.

Research

What do you think "Research" is?

I think research is when you are using other sources or information to support your cause. Research is when you have to dig for information that is relevant and supports what claim you are making.

What is your experience with research writing in the past?

In the past, I have had bad experiences with research papers. For example, during my junior year of high school, I was in honors English and we had to construct a "happiness" project. Within the project, you had to turn in one research paper and six narratives. When I turned my research paper in, my teacher accused me of plagiarism because I didn't cite the ideas I used from an article. I was hysterical and I hate writing research papers now. 

What are you looking forward to, what are you dreading?

I am looking forward to the topics because they are very relevant to me and I'm excited to learn more about them. I am dreading the length and the citations. Generally, I am comfortable with three paged essays just because I'm worried I will have run-ons repetitive. With the citations, I am just nervous about finding credible sources and putting all the information together.