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I can understand the point the author is trying to make, but this line was disturbing to me: "The fact that I was not able to communicate with anyone via techn
by DanielStraight 17y ago
I can understand the point the author is trying to make, but this line was disturbing to me:
"The fact that I was not able to communicate with anyone via technology was almost unbearable."
It brings me back to Jaron Lanier's You Are Not a Gadget, wherein Jaron makes the argument that, basically, technology can only replace real life if we dumb down our expectations of real life.
This student's inability to communicate in the real world is a substantial dumbing down of communication. Communication on the net cannot equal communication in real life. When someone's interest in the net leaves them only able to communicate at the level afforded by technology, then there is a problem.
- sp332 17y agoAre you saying phones and computers are not in the real world? He's not talking to artificial constructs, he's communicating with real people. It's not like most face-to-face conversations express any ideas or emotions deeper or more subtle than could be expressed online. I think you are assuming that everyone shares your inability to communicate effectively online. It's fine that you are more comfortable communicating offline, but not everyone needs that depth of interaction in every conversation.
- pyre 17y agoYou're forgetting that body language can not be transmitted over text or audio. You're also forgetting that tone of voice cannot be transmitted over text.