Virtual
Selves Essay
Nowadays, technology is an essential part of many
people’s lives because it allows them to use their devices and communicate with
others in their distinct manner. In most people’s minds, technology has many
advantages and disadvantages because it allows the person to commit any
unnecessary actions towards others via social media. Technology influences
others to be stuck on their electronic devices such as their cellphones and
computers for hours and hours rather than going out and exploring their real
world doing something productive for themselves. The most common way for teens
to take advantage of the technological expertise is by texting their friends or
going on social media websites and spending most of their time there. In Sherry Turkle’s essay, “Can You Hear Me
Now?” she mentions how the communication devices of the modern world are meant
to keep us connected, but instead people are attached to their constant messages
with their peers that no time is used to engage with the world around them.
Technology has allowed people to explore a world in their virtual lives rather
than in the real world. Some young adults are highly interacted with a life in
the internet creating such avatars that let them live a virtual life rather
than expressing their real self to real people and those around them.
The teenage life these days revolves around the most
important thing any teen has possession of, their cellphones. They can’t stand
a chance or even imagine a moment without their cellphone because their social
time would be interfered with. In most cases, you will witness most individuals
checking their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to keep up with trending stories.
During school hours, especially during class time, they would been seen going
on their social media apps and most commonly texting fellow peers because it is
to their extent a daily routine, no matter the occasion, but are fully aware of
the consequences. Even though plenty, if not all high schools strictly enforce
the no electronics rule, most students ignore that because it is unlawful to
them not to have their cellphones each and everyday in their possession. In
Sherry Turkle’s talk video, “Connected, but Alone,” she emphasizes the fact
that the technological devices we possess are so powerful and have lots of
attraction to us people, that they can change who we are and have the power to
control us. This is in fact true because some people like to be followers of
what they see online and like to express themselves based on other’s actions
instead of expressing their real self and who they really are.
For the reason that cellphones have the power to attract
one another, most people have in mind that they would prefer to text each other
rather than have a real face to face conversation. This theme, “I’d rather text
than talk,” could be applied to the teens these days because texting is the # 1
thing they love to do because it acts as a manner of talking and communicating
to their friends faster without having to physically do it. Another way Sherry
Turkle exemplifies the cellphone use or other technological device that has
impacted people’s lives is that some people feel that they are alone, have no
one to talk to, or no one listens or pays attention to them so they feel that
technology will always listen to them and do whatever their told, therefore
they don’t feel an act of loneliness. They find their own way to satisfy
themselves, if not socially with other people, then electronically with a
machine.
Some people who in the most part have cases of lonely
sensations, might create a virtual life that bases them off of an internet life
in which they are able to do most things that can also be done in the real world,
but don’t have access to any form of companionship with another person. To have
a feeling of living a life that they would’ve much rather had, they create this
computer based program that allows them to freely do as they desire. According
Sherry Turkle’s essay “Can You Hear Me Now?” she concludes that much of those
people who find themselves lonely, and enjoy an online life, it’s easier for
them to express themselves in a better way and gain a sincere companionship
with another electronic person.
Most of us people have in account that technology is one
the top basis of our lives in the matter that it has impacted most of our lives.
This could come into conclusion that our society expects more from technology
than we do for ourselves and an illusion of companionship rather than
friendship (Sherry Turkle). All of these themes have a connection because they
draw in the idea of electronic devices as a basis of necessity in most
teenagers’ life, as it comes to a concluding fact that they can’t live without
it. They rather have their cellphone as their companion, in which the share
most of their life with, rather than spend time with their true friend in which
they can share and express their feelings and whatever is on their mind in a
friendship like manner.
In a sense of the internet’s social media sites, where
lots of high school students as well those in college spent their time on,
plenty of things can go wrong with some senseless actions that people are
accounted for. Some people think that whatever goes on on Facebook stays there,
but for the most part they are wrong. It can easily be spread without you
noticing and can result in severe consequences. With the use of this site, they
take advantage of committing cyber-bullying against someone they dislike instead
of being exposed at school. Or also a common way of expressing themselves is
through the posting of pictures where they might post inappropriate things like
possession of weapons or drugs. Knowing that this can be spread very quickly,
it can result in school suspension or face criminal charges. School staff could
find ways into checking student’s profile, which catches them up with improper
behavior and illegal actions. Boundaries should be set for administrators
should limit the act of going into people’s private spaces because it everyone
needs their privacy. Whereas, adults see these sites as a place where kids put
their futures at risk. Colleges take the behavior of students inside and
outside of school very serious as to what they do in regard to their postings
in social media sites.
