Spencer Sherck 

Jesse Miller 

ENG. 110 

Due Nov 12, 2023 

The Impact Of Modern Technology On Society 

The pervasive influence of modern technology on our world has become increasingly evident over the past few decades. From the rapid advancement of digital devices and the internet to the integration of artificial intelligence in various aspects of our lives, it’s undeniable that technology has significantly transformed the way we live, work, and communicate. In the “The Empathy Diaries” by Sherry Turkle, she offers us deep insights into the huge impact of this technological revolution and how they perceive these changes. In “In Defense Of Distraction”, Sam Anderson explores the influence of modern technology, especially on the younger generation, highlighting the unique skills and adaptability of “digital natives” while also raising concerns about the potential negative effects on their cognitive and social development. He also talks about the significant topics of growing up in a world where technology is ever-present, from the way they communicate to the skills they acquire. In Turkle’s essay, she dives into the impact of modern technology on human relationships and communication, emphasizing the potential erosion of genuine, meaningful interactions in the digital age. Turkle’s work emphasizes the challenges posed by the constant connectivity and digital distractions, which may lead to a decline in empathy and a weakening of our ability to engage in authentic conversations and connections with others.  

Anderson states, “Which brings me, finally, to the next generation of attenders, the so-called “net-gen” or “digital natives,” kids who’ve grown up with the Internet and other time-slicing technologies. There’s been lots of hand-wringing about all the skills they might lack, mainly the ability to concentrate on a complex task from beginning to end, but surely they can already do things their elders can’t like conduct 34 conversations simultaneously across six different media, or pay attention to switching between attentional targets in a way that’s been considered impossible. More than any other organ, the brain is designed to change based on experience, a feature called neuroplasticity.” In this he is saying that the next generation of kids will grow up with technology all around them and will never have a point in their life without it. His argument emphasizes the idea that the constant exposure to technology from a young age can fundamentally alter the cognitive and behavioral patterns of the digital native generation. He suggests that the integration of technology can lead to changes in brain structure, potentially affecting their ability to concentrate on single tasks or develop strong writing skills. The availability of technological tools that can automate various tasks, including writing, further contributes to the transformation of these new generations. You can start to see these changes in our generation, I cant even imagine how much worse itll get with how strong the use of technology is getting.  

Turkle says, “But these conversations require time and space, and we say we’re too busy. Distracted at our dinner tables and living rooms, business meetings, and on our streets, we find traces of a new “silent spring”- a term Rachel Carson coined when we were ready to see that with technological change had come an assault on technology is implicated in an assault on empathy.” People are so distracted and brainwashed over their phones and its so bad they say they are “too busy”. I can see this in our generation right now when I hangout with people then all the of a sudden everyone is just on their phone and sitting there in silence. It also raises a critical point about the way in which technology has infiltrated our lives and reshaped our social dynamics. The constant need to stay connected through smartphones and other digital devices can lead to a sense of busyness that distracts us from genuine face-to-face interactions, ultimately affecting our ability to empathize with others.  

Coming back to Anderson now, he says, “I’m going to pause here, right at the beginning of my riveting article about attention, and ask you to please get all of your precious 21st-century distractions out of your system now. Check the score of the Mets game; text your sister that pun you just thought of about her roommate’s new pet lizard (“iguana hold your hand LOL get it like Beatles”); refresh your work e-mail, your home e-mail, your school e-mail; upload pictures of yourself reading this paragraph to your “me reading magazine articles” Flickr photostream; and alert the fellow citizens of whatever Twittertopia you happen to frequent that you will be suspending your digital presence for the next twenty minutes or so.” His statement emphasizes the problems with distractions in the twenty-first century, especially when reading an article or working on a focused assignment. He understands that people frequently give in to several forms of distraction, such social media, messaging friends, checking sports scores, and updating emails. I think this is so important because it helps the reader realize all of the possible distractions that can come up. And the first thing to fixing a problem like this is addressing the problems.  Personally I have this problem of getting distracted. Once  I get off topic I am done for, I just keep going down the rabbit hole until I finally realize what I’m doing and still its hard to come back to the work.  

In a broader sense, both Anderson and Turkle’s essays shed light on the complex relationship between modern technology and humanity. On one hand, Anderson highlights the remarkable adaptability of the human brain and the unique skills that the next generation is developing as a result of growing up in a technologically immersive environment. However, he also raises concerns about potential downsides, such as reduced attention spans and writing skills. Turkle, on the other hand, emphasizes the societal and emotional consequences of our dependence on technology. She highlights the erosion of empathy and the decline of meaningful human connections in a world where technology often takes precedence over face-to-face interactions. Both authors use a thoughtful approach to our use of technology, urging us to strike a balance that allows us to harness its benefits while mitigating its potential negative impacts on our cognitive and social well-being.  

  
  
  
  

Works Cited 

Sherry Turkle’s, “The Empathy Diaries”, Penguin Press 2022 

Sam Anderson’s, “In Defense Of Distraction”,