Alison Gopnik's Possible Worlds: Why Do Children Pretend?

1541 Words7 Pages
The perception of reality varies for each individual throughout space and time. In Alison Gopnik’s essay, “Possible Worlds: Why Do Children Pretend?” she explains how the ability to pretend influences decision making and the development of modern technology. Sherry Turkle’s essay, “Alone Together,” is an in depth example of how advances in technology are shaping society. The exposure to new knowledge and modern technology creates a barrier between individuals. This barrier is not only between generations, but between people who have experienced technology in different ways. What is considered a reality, for those who have little knowledge about modern technology or are less dependent on it, will be different from someone who has grown up with…show more content…
Technology conveniently makes life easier and is intended for people to be more productive. People will continue to find short cuts and new alternatives to avoid human interaction with technology and the introduction of robots, similarly to how a map are used to find alternative routes (Gopnik 177). Gopnik says that by using maps, “you can discover that there were much shorter and more convenient routes you could have taken…[the map] lets you discover the most efficient route, without having to actually take each one (Gopnik 177)”. Maps, whether they are paper maps or cognitive maps, created in the mind, are used to solve problems and make plans to find a solution. In the same way that real and cognitive maps were once used to be more time efficient and find solutions, our phones, computers and potential robots can do the same. Technology has become a short cut in life where people have to do less work to find an answer to their problems. For example, Turkle states, “some people are looking for robots to clean rugs and help with laundry. Others hope for a mechanical bride” (Turkle 264). In other words, people are looking for a simpler, shorter, and more convenient solution to deal with life. Instead of making plans to complete tasks, robots will be used to perform the duties for us. In addition, rather than using our brains to solve problems or get…show more content…
Society needs change to successfully evolve. Without new ideas and innovations societies cannot improve, but some new ideas are disconnecting people from each other. Gopnik states, “being able to think about these possibilities is crucial to evolutionary success” (Gopnik 165). These possibilities are the counterfactuals people imagine which lead to new ideas and consequently help a society to grow. Although progress is encouraged, intimacy with robots is not the ideal solution. New technology has shaped us to a society that finds more satisfaction through communicating with electronic devices rather than face to face. Our society is surely evolving, but if it is evolving successfully is a matter of opinion. Currently, many people, especially elders who have not been fully exposed to technology, would say intimacy with robots is absurd and discomforting. However, as time passes, communities are gradually becoming more accustomed to communicating electronically whereas in the past it was unheard of. As the use of technology increases throughout the world this concept is more accepted. The problem with this way of life is that in spite of evolving, we are disconnecting ourselves from each other. There is a large gap between interaction through a phone or online rather than in person. Communication is challenged and can be easily misinterpreted without body language and tone of voice. Face to face
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