Alone, but not Lonely
In her TED Talk Connected, but Alone?, cultural analyst Sherry Turkle explores (among other things)
how digital technology and social media are changing our “capacity for solitude.” She argues that digital
technology encourages us to substitute genuine conversation and human interacting for small “sips” of
online connection. Despite my general extroversion, I’m thankful to have the ability to feel comfortable
alone, and I consistently look forward to spending quality time with myself free from both conversation
and online connection. As someone who works with children, I wholeheartedly agree with Turkle’s call to
action on teaching kids how to be alone with themselves. It’s important to recognize that loneliness
is a feeling, not a state of being, which is to say that loneliness, like all feelings, is caused by thought.
By changing the way kids think about being alone, we can help them feel less lonely, perhaps resulting
in a lower dependency on digital technology.
how digital technology and social media are changing our “capacity for solitude.” She argues that digital
technology encourages us to substitute genuine conversation and human interacting for small “sips” of
online connection. Despite my general extroversion, I’m thankful to have the ability to feel comfortable
alone, and I consistently look forward to spending quality time with myself free from both conversation
and online connection. As someone who works with children, I wholeheartedly agree with Turkle’s call to
action on teaching kids how to be alone with themselves. It’s important to recognize that loneliness
is a feeling, not a state of being, which is to say that loneliness, like all feelings, is caused by thought.
By changing the way kids think about being alone, we can help them feel less lonely, perhaps resulting
in a lower dependency on digital technology.
I agree that we should be able to feel comfortable both with and without the use of technology. I believe that since Digital Media and technology play such a major role in our everyday lives. the generations moving forward should recognize the impact technology is making. By Decreasing the amount of time spent on our cell phones we can tech and help other to feel less anxious and alone by interacting with others and depending less on technology to help us feel connected.
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