Natalie Bell

ENG110

Jesse Miller

Technology and Human Connection

                  Technology today is undoubtedly an undeniable force that shapes how people live, think, and even interact with one another. In Technophilia by Kevin Kelly, he believes that technology can expand the human potential, as well as fostering innovation. In contrast, The Empathy Diaries by Sherry Turkle, she warns people how the ways of technology can diminish and weaken human relationships and genuine empathy towards others. Both of their perspectives seem opposing to each other; however, both can capture the essential truths about the impact of technology today, and the role it plays in society. I do agree with both Kelly and Turkle that technology is a powerful tool that is able to help enhance human capabilities, however, it also has many challenges accustomed to it that need to be addressed to be able to maintain and preserve meaningful connections with others. By looking closer at both of their arguments, examining one’s optimism and one’s caution, it can help us better understand how to embrace these advancements seen today, while avoiding their negative effects on people today.

                  While looking at Kevin Kellys views on technology, it is shown how he argues that technology today is a driving force that can help expand the human mind and protentional. In Technophilia, he argues that these technological advancements seen today have helped propel society forward. With pushing society forward, it can help enhance efficiency, and even global communication. Kelly also believes that instead of fearing technology, it should be embraced as a helpful part of human evolution, and that we will learn to love it more down the road. Kelly states that “Technology does not want to remain utilitarian. It wants to become art, to be beautiful and ‘useless’” (Kelly 6). He is implying that technology is not only used for practicality, but also used to express ourselves, and creativity. Instead of viewing technology as something for only functional purposes, Kelly views it as further extension of the human imagination. He believes that overtime, today’s society will accept technology more but also embrace it further than it has been today. His perspective on this challenges Turkle’s argument, as he argues that technology should not be feared, but should be seen as something that is able to enhance efficiency, as well as creativity within us.

                  In comparison to Kellys overall optimism, Sherry Turkle puts forward a more cautious perspective on the impact of technology on people, especially how it affects human relationships, and even empathy which contrasts with Kevin Kelly’s optimism. In The Empathy Diaries, Turkle argues that although the internet has made it easier for communication, and in some ways connection, it has also led to a steep decline in meaningful face-to-face interactions, which are essential to human life. Participating in meaningful face-to-face conversations are a gateway to developing genuine emotional connections. She emphasizes how “we struggle to pay attention to each other, and what suffers is our ability to know ourselves” (Turkle 349).  Her argument shows how people start to rely and become more dependent on communication through technology, ending with them losing the ability to engage in deep and meaningful connections that can lead into further connections with others. Her claim as to how face-to-face conversations impacts out ability to know ourselves implies that technology does not just affect the growth of connections with others, but how we view ourselves, and our personal growth. Without these meaningful in person interactions, people will eventually find it harder to understand their own emotions and themselves. She also believes and warns us that with the progression of technology and how its evolving, there will be a rise of virtual relationships, and it can get rid of our ability to have empathy with each other and even engage in meaningful conversations. She expresses, “Those who understand how conversation works – no matter what their ages – need to step up and pass on what they know” (Turkle 350). Her statement is a call to action for everyone. It urges those who still believe in face-to-face conversations to preserve as well as teach others how to obtain the skills that are needed for empathetic conversations. Turkle overall argues how important and crucial it is for today’s society to protect and help others with these real-world conversation skills. These skills are fundamental to maintaining the mutual understanding and emotional connections that digital technology tends to overthrow. While Turkle overall emphasizes all the protentional harm of how technology affects personal connections with others, Kelly has a more optimistic view and highlights the positive views on technology today.

                  Kevin Kelly and Sherry Turkle offer very different, but also complementary views on the role and impact of technology in modern society.