Turkle and Wesch

Turkle:  Connected, But Alone?

Wesch:  Crisis of Singnificance

What is the relationship between Turkle and Wesch?  Do you see then as allies or opponents in this discussion of new media and technology?

July 6, 2020

Jerry Seinfeld's Had Enough of Phone Calls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xIoegYONAg

A couple of months ago, my husband and I watched Jerry Seinfeld's Comedy Special on Netflix.  While listening to Turkle's Ted Talk, Seinfeld came to mind.  In a humorous way, Seinfeld emphasizes Turkle's message....the human disconnect.

Even though Turkle is psychologist and Wesch is an educator, they are allies in the discussion of the new media and technology era.  Turkle believes that technology has many benefits, which lead to exploration of the virtual world to learn more about ourselves and our identity.  So, we can live better lives in the real world.  Wesch is challenging himself as an educator to create a learning environment more conductive to producing life long learners.  By incorporating the use of technology to increase engagement in his classroom.  Both of them feel strongly that learning is the hallmark of humanity.  

I also see the parallel of Turkle, saying how technology is leading us down a road we do not want to go.  People are disengaged everywhere they go checking emails, texting, facebook, etc....In comparison, Wesch sees the disconnect in the classroom.  Students sit in neat rows in front of the teacher.  Wesch is trying to create "active lifelong learners" with "critical thinking skills" and the ability to think outside the box.  Turkle believes that technology in not only changing what we do, but changing who we are.  People are no longer having conversations with each other.  In the absence of conversations with others we forget how to have conversations with ourselves.  Wesch is calling for his students to be fully engaged, talking to one another, grappling with interesting questions, and exploring any and all resources to find answers.  

Both Turkle and Wesch are calling for us to take a good look at where we are going.  To see we are all interconnected, sharing one planet, and that our future depends on us and future generations.