Book Review: Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age - Sherry Turkle

I recently read Reclaiming Conversation and was fascinated by how technology and advancements in science impact how we interact with ourselves, others, and the larger society.  The author, Sherry Turkle, a professor of Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT, easily breaks down the research in this field and presents the information with a good blend of antidote, commentary, and insight.

First, the book covers solitude and shows that we are spending increasing time with the distraction of a device which has the potential for constant contact through social media and texting.  This decreases our abilities to process through our own problems and feel appropriate emotion, self reflection, and thoughtfulness.

Next, it explains how our interactions with others in our families, friend groups, and romantic relationships are effected by smartphone distracts and communicating via text. Conflicts and misunderstandings can occur when the tone or nuance of spoken conversation doesn't translate to written communication, often resulting in decreased empathy.  Also, the ability to "edit" yourself or check with others before responding creates the burden of being perfect or always having the correct response.

The book then address how society as a whole, in our educational system, the workplace, and the public square, is changing due to our increasing reliance on technology.  The allure of multitasking leading to more productivity (not true), connecting via email as preferable to face to face meetings (not true), and that the internet being a safe and neutral place to discuss ideas (not true) is changing how we interact in our spheres of influence. 

Lastly, Turkle evaluates the risk of humanity evolving from talking through machines (to one another) and instead talking to the machine itself.  As scientific gains are made in the areas virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence, and factoring in our tendency to lose ourselves in the latest technology; this may not be too far off.  One counseling application of talking to machines instead of people is the potential for a robot programed with empathic responses, reframing techniques, and common questions to take the place of a human therapist.  There are many possible positives for this scenario, but in my opinion, the best therapy happens when two humans can connect over their shared humanity and work together toward healing.