Can You Hear Me Now

Ever since technology began so prominent in the modern world, can anyone remember going outside for more than 30 minutes and not see a cell phone or computer? Probably not, as these pieces of technology have become so ingrained in people’s lives, no one wants to leave their home without still being connected. And there is no reason to, as friends, family, and strangers share the same sentiments. Unplugging from technology is not only a decision people don’t make for personal reasons, it simply isn’t conducive to a productive life, as many people’s work and social lives wouldn’t be the same, if exist at all, without being connected to other people or the internet with just a single touch.

Today it is very easy to get tethered to electronics and communications that give you instant results. A quick check on networking site is becoming the norm verses actually picking up the phone and calling the person you are catching up with. Sherry Turkle, in her essay “Can You Hear Me Now?,” discusses points and personal experiences that persuade the reader that today’s society is becoming “more connected- or more alienated”, than ever before. Turkle utilizes the pathos appeal by using the rhetorical appeals of anecdotes, assertion, and reasoning. She relies heavily on the use of pathos throughout the entire article. This is important because it gets the reader involved in the story and sets the stage for the entire article.

The author and esteemed Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sherry Turkle, in the essay, “The Flight from Conversation,” published in the New York Times on April 22, 2012 addresses the topic of conversation versus connection. It argues that technology is interfering with the ability to communicate. Turkle supports her claim first by using ethos to establish her credibility, second by using logos to provide her logic, and finally pathos to relate and move the reader. Turkle establishes a sentimental tone in order to appeal to her audience’s emotions on the topic. The author’s overall purpose is to persuade her audience to be together and to interact in person so that they will

“Can you hear me now?” has to be one of the most memorable lines from an ad campaign in history. That campaign was a major win for Verizon Wireless. It helped the company gain market share and reduce customer turnover making it one of the most competitive entities in the industry. Verizon has positioned itself as an industry leader in communications, information and entertainment products and services for consumers, businesses and governmental agencies. It functions in two main divisions: Verizon Wireless and Wireline. Verizon Wireless’ main products and services are wireless voice and data services over both 4G LTE and 3G networks, and equipment sales around the United States. Wireline offers products and services that

In the article, “Stop Googling. Let’s Talk.”, Sherry Turkle claims that technology is leaving us vulnerable to the world. Cell phones along with other technology can be detrimental in certain situations. She bases her claim off of several experiments done with all ages of kids and technology. The article, written in 2015 and published in the Sunday Review, targets how the conversations today are becoming shallow because the world attached to their phones. Even though Turkle’s argument that conversations are dying and are shallow, her article shows evidence that conversations are different when phones are in sight. She offers vital information and evidence about scenarios where conversations are changed because of the use technology. She provides statements and facts that are true to our everyday lives especially our lives with technology.

The Flight from Conversation, by professor Sherry Turkle, addresses the issue of technology's pull from conversation to simple connection. The essay’s intriguing topic pulls the reader in, while the author’s excellent use of appeals solidifies her argument. Turkle’s exceptional employment of appeals strengthens the overall effect of her essay, leaving her audience with a strong argument. Turkle utilizes her title and accolades to establish herself as a credible source. Professor Turkle also enhances her argument by providing evidence and details from her studies to form a logical appeal. Finally, she tops her argument off with an emotional connection to the audience by including the audience in her argument, as well as by contributing specific

In his June 12, 2015 article” Flick Flick”, published in Commonweal, Rand Richard Cooper argues that the technology of “handheld devices” interferes with being in present with others and being present with ourselves. He measures pieces of evidence to illustrate his point; for example, he mentions teens in a school bus busy with their phones and they do not communicate with each other. The author uses technology; however, he agrees that with the excessive uses of technology we lose the ability to communicate, the personal freedom and our time to our selves. Also the author claims that we lose the appreciation of nature around us and our ability to do the daily actions. Cooper even explains how people interact with their phones and cannot stop

Matt Richtel tells the story of how the Campbell’s spring break went. “We didn’t go out to dinner,” Mrs. Campbell mourned. “We just sat there on our devices.” Her husband joined them at the aquarium for a little while until he begged to do e-mail on his phone, and later she found him playing games. But finally they unplugged, “It changes the mood when everybody is present,” Mrs. Campbell said. Richtel goes on to say, “In the modern world, the chime of incoming e-mail can override the goal of writing a business plan or playing catch with the children.” The ultimate risk of heavy technology use is that it diminishes empathy by limiting how much people engage with one another, even in the same room,” Mr. Nass from Stanford thinks. If the students put down their electronics, and encourage the rest of their family to do the same, it could be an opportunity for them

Turkle states, “Over the past fifteen years, I’ve studied technologies of mobile connection and talked to hundreds of people of all ages and circumstances about their plugged-in lives,” (Turkle 136). With this statement, Turkle makes aware to the audience that situations in which she will later talk about in her article are based on the research she did over a period of time. Thus, it helps her gain credibility and the audience’s trust that her arguments are being supported by legit circumstances. These real life situations also help strengthen her argument. By using circumstances in which the audience may relate to, it enhances her argument to be more favorable because it creates a connection between the situation and the reader. In another instance where Turkle’s credibility can be seen is when she gives some merit to the contrary point of view. For example, she states, “we can put our attention wherever we want it to be; and that we never have to be alone. Indeed our new devices have turned being alone into a problem that can be solved,” (138). Here, Turkle shows an awareness to the complexity of how technology can also benefit in some way. It shows that she is fair, and not only looking at one side of the issue, thus showing her audience that she is trustworthy and looks at all points of the

Now day’s kids sit in front of a screen in their room for hours talking into a mic, talking to some random person they found online. Not only do we see this happen on TV with the main characters little brother, but also when we walk in the door of our own house. There was a TED talk that I recently watched where the speaker was a mom and her daughter had invited some friends over to hang out, but what she actually meant was turn and stare at a phone. As what Sherry Turkle said, “And what I've found is that our little devices, those little devices in our pockets, are so psychologically powerful that they don't only change what we do, they change who we are.” What she says is that we cannot survive without these little devices in our life. The ability of our social connection in real life is disappearing. For example, when they hang out with each other in person it’s not face to face anymore, it’s back to back, they text each other instead of talking. Some might say we are running from our problems with the help of technology. When you have an issue with someone you don’t want to come right out and confront them because you don’t know how they will react, so you text them. But when you do this you don’t put any emotions into it, maybe a few exclamation points and a sad face, then ending the heated text message with a heart, but in the end did you really get your point a crossed to them or did you just tell them that whatever they did make you a little sad and you won’t do anything about it, giving them the chance to do whatever they did again. Technology is breaking us down as people. (SO

I am constantly on my phone almost every second of everyday; texting friends, scrolling through Instagram, tweeting, or sending ugly snapchats of myself. All behind a screen, I felt connected to my friends, my followers, and the world. However, I was actually slowly losing my grasp on reality as I indulged myself in the world of social medias. Reality hit when parents came to Wellness Committee with concerns about their children’s overwhelming use of technology. As the Director of the Wellness Committee, this issue became my focus because I realized that constantly being on technology was unhealthy. It was also affecting the connections I made with people in real life; I was always too busy on my phone to make conversation with the those around me. I wanted my peers to be aware of this and to encourage them to disconnect from technology and connect with the real world. Therefore, I organized an informative community block and a no-technology lunch with the Chair of the Wellness Committee.

When her family got their first color tv, her father was so happy because now he could see the different football team’s colors when he watched the game. But no one really sat in front of the tv all day, because there weren’t many shows on. She then got her first computer in her house in ‘98, a little after she had her first 3 sons. She thought it was so neat that she was able to email her old high school friends and reconnect with people who she wouldn’t have ever talked to again. Of course, her boys liked to play video games, but they were largely outdoor people. Today she mostly uses an iPad, for business, research, and the occasional Netflix binge. Sometimes when work is getting hectic, she says, “It helps stop my mind from thinking about everything at work.” She can use it as a stress reliever, or a distraction. But even then, sometimes she feels that she has to pull herself away and take a walk. At work, she notices that when people are in the waiting room, they no longer reach for the magazines that have been set out, they are all on their phones. She deals with lots of parents at her job, and she realizes that parents seem to be using technology as almost a “babysitter”. When their toddler gets fussy, their mom hands them her phone so that they have something to do. That is starting the dependency from an

Despite the time people spend on technology devices, many seem to have a love/hate relationship with technology and social media, and the way it connects them to each other, to the world. Sherry Turkle, author of the article “Can You Hear Me Now?”, written in 2007, makes the statement, “Thanks to technology, people have never been more connected—or more alienated” (506). The title, “Can You Hear Me Now?” pokes fun of people receiving spotty cell phone service that threatens to disconnect their call; moving around hoping to improve the connection, and repeating the well-worn words, “Can you hear me now?” Practically everyone with a cell phone has said them. While Turkle’s argument might seem ineffective to some, she persuasively used her research to relate that people are, indeed, very connected to each other by technology and social networks, leashed to their devices, and yet, more disconnected or alienated than ever from their closest groups of friends and family.

As much as I regret to admit it, I’m attached to my phone. I’m constantly reaching into my pocket to check the time, make sure I haven’t gotten a new update, or to send a message. I do this even when I’m not talking to anyone! It’s become an addiction, having to make sure I’m not missing anything, and I'm not the only one who has this problem. Seventy-five percent of the world population has a cell phone, and that number will only increase. With the creation of new technology portions of life have become easier. Technology has changed the way we go through life. It’s made talking to people easier, as well as keeping up with the lives of others. However, the effects have affected the aspects of our lives that don’t include technology.

If I were to ask each of you if you were able to go an entire day without your mobile device, very few can say they`d be able to do so. In fact, in a recent TIME Magazine Mobility Poll, 84% out of 5000 people surveyed in 8 different countires, admitted that they couldn’t go a single day without their phones and a third of respondents admitted that being without their mobile device for even short periods of time leaves them feeling anxious. It is clear that whenever we`re waiting for those last five minutes before the bell rings to every class, our automatic impulse is to reach for our phone. Do you really need to check anything that important? The sad truth is that we have become far too dependent on our phones. The fear that we might miss the latest gossip, or the most recent updates on all of our social webesites seems more like an addiction than anything else. We`ve clouded our vision as to what is really important, and that is-quality human interaction.