Together Sherry Turgle Analysis

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Technology: Why it is Considered Harmful “The human condition is not perfect. We are not perfect specimens, any of us. We’re not robots.” This is implicating that, it is a well known and generally accepted fact that, humans were not born to be perfect. Humans grow more intelligent and skillful as time goes on, but it is not expected that we will become perfect. This means that there would be no room for error, something that happens every single day. Since humans cannot be perfect, we have found ways to create objects that can be perfect or close to it. One of the well known objects being mechanical robots. Robots now have the knowledge to not only comprehend what is being said to them, but to also generate a response. While many people may…show more content…
Some people may think about the long term effects that robots can have which includes, taking over human positions. As time progresses, robots are only getting more advanced and even more intelligent, allowing them to do things that us imperfect humans are unable to do. In “Alone Together”, Sherry Turkle discusses the idea of robots being able to substitute the idea of a real human. She also goes on to talk about whether or not these robots can provide emotional assurance comparable to the way humans do. Having a relation to technological advancements, Lisa Belkin in “The Made-to-Order Savior” approaches the idea of parents being able to genetically modify their baby to be the way they want him or her to be. Both of these writings, allude to the idea of technology eventually becoming too advanced and rather than it being helpful it will become harmful. The idea of “made-to-order” is being able to generate a desirable person or thing for a specific purpose. This concept of made-to-order can become harmful to society, because humans may lose control of technology…show more content…
As mentioned before, in human-robotic relationships the humans like being able to demand their robotic partner to express whatever emotion they desire. What may not be noticed is the robot’s ability to do things on it’s own without being demanded. In Turkle’s passage she mentions that, “computers no longer wait for humans to project meaning onto them. Now, sociable robots meet our gaze, speak to us, and learn to recognize us. They ask us to take care of them; in response, we imagine that they might care for us in return.” (264). Turkle is presenting the idea that robots have become advanced enough to no longer be ordered to do things. While this is true, she may not see the other side of this perspective. The robots are no longer under the human’s control they are beginning to gain control themselves. Humans may not notice that by taking care of the robots, they are complying with the robot's’ request. The human's thoughts may be so fastened with the idea that they have a robot that can express the desired emotions, that they do not realize that it is vice versa. That is the reason that technology continues to discretely become more powerful and controlling, because humans are so worried about personal satisfaction. This poses a threat to society because technology can eventually unnoticedly gain too much control and power. Rather than the robots being made to complete an

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