Parker-Pope talks about the toll technology is taking on people in two days world and the downside of having some technology so readily available. She says the internet is re-shaping our personalities. She talks about the internet and technology in general as being addictive. She says according to a survey that more people showed signs of internet addiction then addiction to gambling. She also quotes a student who stopped using technology for one day, the student said that a lack of technology made her feel alone because she was unable to connect instantly with her friends.
Reflection
Technology is an essential part of modern day life. It is impossible to get rid of it. I feel bad for the student who Parker-Pope talks about at the end of the column. The student was part of a study to see how students handle not using technology for one day. The student said she felt disconnected and alone because she did not have texts or I.M.s. I hope I could make it without technology and not feel this disconnect from society. I agree with Parker-Pope that the internet and technologies are overused by a majority of people everyday. I am guilty of overuse myself. But it is hard to say how much is too much in regards to internet and technology use because it is so new and studies are just being conducted. I do not think that an addiction to the internet is ruining as many lives as other addiction but it can be a serious problem. And in today’s world it would be difficult to not use the internet or technology at all. So for the people who are severely overuse these technology it can be hard to change what they are doing. I also agree technology is one hundred percent changing our personalities. It would be impossible for us as humans not to change with so much new technology at our fingertips.
Connection to Carr
Parker-Pope echoes Carr thoughts very closely. Parker-Pope and Carr would both agree that the internet is changing people’s personalities. They both write about a lack of patience in people today in comparison to people of the past. They also write about a need for people to want to fast-forward through things. Carr puts himself into this group but Parker-Pope does not discuss herself at all in her column. Carr looks at some of the positive effects that technology is having on people where as Parker-Pope only sheds light on the negative effects of too much technology. Carr does not believe that technology is ruining people but simply changing them. Parker-Pope’s column comes across as if she is denouncing internet and technology. But they both think that technology is being abused and overused and Parker-Pope spends much of her writing discussing how to treat addiction to technology. She even quotes Carr who says “The deeper a technology is woven into the patterns of everyday life, the less choice we have about whether and how we use that technology”. Carr says we may not be able to control how we use technology but Parker-Pope believes that therapy can help reduce somebody’s dependence on technology.
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