The “Flight From Conversation” written by Sherry Turkle was published in The New York

Times last April 21,2012. The author tells us about the value of conversation and the limitations
of digital connection. One if the main points that the author wants us to understand is how
technology influenced us in our daily lives and how conversation is being sacrificed for
communication. In the beginning of the article, the Sherry Turkle shared her personal
experiences about her observations about how technology changed what people do and how it
affects who they are. " The years I have spent researching people and their relationships with
technology, I have often heard the sentiment “No one is listening to me.” ” Have we so lost
confidence that we will be there for one another?”, she stated. According to her, many people
doesn’t communicate face to face as much as it used to be before. They barely talk with each
other even when they are next to each other. She also point out the idea of “alone together”
saying that even though people don’t have face to face conversations as much as they use to,
they are still communicating through social media. People are more focus on establishing many
connections, which often leads them to isolate themselves from others and that it is a new way
of being alone together.

In the mid-section of the article, the author make her statements and arguments become
more credible by gives us various examples that describes how technology affects human
relationships and feelings. Through thus examples, she was able to show the real situations on
how different individuals of different ages and groups replace conversations because of the
connections that they have through using the different technological devices. "A boy who wants
dating advice from a computer", "a nursing home resident who is comforted by a mechanical
seal", "a 16 year old hoping to learn how to have real conversations some day" and "a business
person sitting down with all their technology and putting on headphones". These are some of
the examples that reflects the upsetting environment that we have because of the technology.
The author have included these scenarios in order for us to deeply understand what is really
happening. Another message the author mention is that the children and youth tend to talk with
an “artificial intelligence program” instead of their parents. Their reasons are because machines
"always willing to hear from them, and will “never have to be alone.” They more likely wanted to
talk to the other people who they thought can understand their thoughts and feelings through
social media. "When was this point in the past when we had confidence in each other? I can’t
imagine. Was there some magical past when we could look next door, when we needed
someone to comfort us, and someone was available to listen to us? Not in my past." These lines
mainly emphasize that most of us do not trust to talk to one another. We merely become more
dependent on technology and less from one another. Another point that the author argued was
about the robots being a substitute for a person to listen and follow the conversation of elderly
people. She clearly object this with what she said, “they do not substitute for conversations”.
She then therefore suggested that in order be heard, we have to give more importance on
having face to face communication to fully share what is on our mind. With all of these salient
points and arguments, it is clear to see how the author wanted the people especially the
younger ones to teach the value of conversation and why it really matters to us.

In the last part of the article, the authors gave us some ways or methods on how can we
keep way from being alone together both in our homes and in our workplaces. She encouraged
us to start having good conversation with one another by simply talking and listening to one
another without the use of the devices that we have and keep sharing everything that we
wanted to say showing our true selves. According to her, it is necessary for humans to
communicate through real life conversations rather than through innovative connections. She
ends by urging us to carry out the message that we should try to get a more real conversation in
this world that is dominated by technology.

I greatly enjoyed reading “The flight from conversation” by Sherry Turkle because I can
relate to all of her arguments and I am also admit that I am also one of those youth who value
more having connections than real conversations. I adore her persistence to let us open our
eyes to see the reality of our today’s society regarding the lack of communication wherein
everyone is quiet and loses it’s sense for interaction on face to face conversations.

The points that are made in the article about us being isolated are very captivating. I
definitely agree on what she said about the slow dying of seclusion, and our need for free
thinking space. Most of us are well aware of the current happenings on our society wherein the
suicidal rates among children and youth are increasing. So, I think this is very informative to
awaken us especially the our parents and elderly to guide more their children, to let them share
their problems and anxieties for them to avoid stress and depressions. This article have
effectively manifested the damaging effects technology is having on face-to-face conversations
and human relationships. The real life situations support the authors main points and arguments
which is really admirable because in that way, the reader can really see the clear picture of the
meaning behind her words. She also make metaphors and paradox, which add more flavors on
each supporting details that captures our attentions. She have successfully showed main
differences of the two forms of communicating, which are connection and conversation.

I also agree that technology has stolen our ability to hold a face to face conversation.
People becomes very dependent to their devices not even thinking that is is already destroying
the importance of meaningful face to face interactions. “We expect more from technology and
less from one another and seem increasingly drawn to technologies that provide the illusion of
companionship without the demands of relationship", this quotes in the article stuck me the
most. We tried so hard on establishing many connections using the technology to make good
relationships, feel less lonely and secluded, and finding love and affections which are all. The
characteristics and personalities that the social media world know about us were actually do not
described who and what we really are. Although technology advancements made our life
becomes more easier and enjoyable, we still have to consider its negative effects on us and to
our society. Before we entirely lose the ability to speak with each other in person, let us make
face to face communication become more valuable than anything else.