ENGL 1301 Essay 2: Summary and Response of 'Stop Googling. Let's Talk'

This essay presents a summary and personal response to Sherry Turkle's 'Stop Googling. Let's Talk,' focusing on the deterioration of face-to-face conversations due to technology. The essay summarizes Turkle's main points, including the decline in attention spans, the over-reliance on technology for problem-solving, and the decrease in empathy among college students. The student responds to each point with personal agreement and explanations, emphasizing the distracting nature of technology, the dependence on it for information, and the reduction of meaningful human interaction. The essay concludes by acknowledging the benefits of technology while stressing the importance of fostering healthy social relationships and empathy, advocating for a balanced approach that recognizes both the vulnerabilities and resilience brought about by technology. Desklib offers a wide range of resources, including past papers and solved assignments, to aid students in their academic pursuits.

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‘Stop Googling. Lets talk’
Introduction
In ‘stop Googling. Lets talk’, Sherry Turkle, found out that the student maintain eye
contact with someone while typing on their phones at the same time (Turkle 1). She has
highlighted Face-to-face conversation has deteriorated since many people prefer texting than
talking. Students in colleges have come up with a “rule of three,” whereby three people in a
conversation of five or six are paying attention while the rest are heads down their phone (Turkle
1). Recent studies show that when people are engaging in a conversation, the presence of a phone
on a table or in the series of their vision interferes with their dialogue and their connection. In
schools students are not making friends the way they used to a few years ago. The students do
not connect with their fellows even in the playground the way they should. When sharing things
together, they share what is on their phones (Turkle 3). Students do not have time to understand
each other feelings with the new conversation as opposed to the old conversation. Based on the
article, I believe people should embrace the beauty of unspoiled nature; we should gather
ourselves to recognize other people for who they are. The essay will provide summary of the
main points and a response to each on personal view with explanation.

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Technology has lead to deviation of attention amongst individuals. In 2015, a study was done
by the Pew Research Center, 89% of the individuals who owned cell phones confirmed that they used
their phones during social meeting and they were not happy, 82% confirmed that their use of the phones
in social gathering did not go well with the conversation(Turkle 6). Additionally, the use of phones in
schools, families, friendships have generally divided attention of individuals to hold a conversation to
hold a conversation without one person diverting to use his or her cell phone. I agree with this statement,
technology has been found to cause distraction of attention, for instance when an individual uses their
phone while engaging to a conversation with other colleagues or friends it will not be fruitful. The
attention is not fully pegged on the issue discussed.
Individuals believe that only technology can solve their problems. For example a team
was interviewed to explore capacity of how people can think by themselves without Involving Google.
Individuals were asked to sit and think, without a device or a book and they were to work under a time
frame of six to fifteen minutes. The rules set were; they were to remain seated and make sure they did
not doze off. From the result many quit the task with reason that it was hard. This clearly shows that
they wanted to rely to their phones to research since they believe all their issues can only be solved by
technology (Turkle 7). I agree with the statement, at times we rely much on the technology to an extent
where one cannot do without them. For example, when a person wants to find the meaning of a given
concept, they cannot rely on the book they use their phones to check the meaning. Everything today that
one wants to find out they Google with their phones.
Across different generation, technology has implicated the assault on empathy. The
studies which have been undertaken in the laboratory and in the natural setting showed that when
two individuals are talking, and there is phone on the table between them, it changes the
conversation they are talking about and the degree at which they are connecting with each other.

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They do not feel they have invested on each other. According to research which has been done
by University of Michigan which was led by the psychologist named Sara Konrath which had
put together seventy two studies over thirty year period showed that there was 40% decline in
empathy amongst the college students (Turkle 8). I agree with this statement, that phones lead to
decline in empathy. I believe that phones tend to reduce the face to face interaction amongst
individuals. Through face to face interaction there is personal touch and people can express on
issues that are affecting them consequently the other individual can advice and empathize with
them. The use of technology such as phones it is not possible to express it.
Conclusion
All individuals need technology, since it makes their work easier and more efficient. It
offers vast opportunities to learn and grow. It helps individuals to be connected with each other.
Nonetheless, there is need to satisfy healthy social relationships. Empathy is one of skills which
individuals need to posses to maintain such relationships. Therefore, it is important to
acknowledge the consequences of the technology to which are vulnerable and the resilience it
brings.

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Work Cited
Turkle, Sherry. "Stop googling. Let’s talk."New York Times 27 (2015).