Summary Of Stop Googling Let's Talk

In the essay, “Stop Googling, Let’s Talk,” the author, Sherry Turkle, analyzes how technologies affect interaction and relationship. Technologies have changed the way people converse; many people would rather to text than having a face-to-face conversation. Even the quality of face-to-face conversation has changed; the digital world has caused us to split our attention during a conversation. Many people permit themselves to check their phone or respond to a text while they are together. The presence of a phone on a table changes the level of connection between people; it creates a disconnection even when the phone is in the silence mode. The presence of a phone also affects the topic of conversation. When people have their phone with them, …show more content…
The presence of a phone in a conversation shifts the close attention from the conversation; the person is merely present, but not fully engaged in the conversation. Also, technology has taken away our patience; we act and respond like “an app, quickly and efficiently.” Therefore, we do not invest time in our conversation. In addition, technology has changed who we are and taken away our solitude. In solitude we “find ourselves,” without knowing oneself, one cannot comprehend and appreciate others for who they are. In solitude and learn to concentrate, visualize, and listen to ourselves, the skills that are needed to be “fully” presented in conversation. (Turkle, …show more content…
Technology enables us to connect to a group and receive affirmation from the group which causes personal satisfaction. We connect to each other, but we are losing our conversation; these connections do not replace conversations and are only a form of sharing information. I am guilty of cutting conversation and replacing it with texts; when I receive a call, and I am not in the mood to talk, I just push the button “sorry I cannot talk right now” and send a text. The tone of voice reveals feelings such as sadness, excitement, and happiness, but a text conceals them. With technology, we can cover who we really are and fit in a group that accepts us; therefore, we feel we are not “lonely” (Turkle,