Post by maxwellsearcy on Aug 9, 2011 20:59:05 GMT -5
While I can somewhat agree with the article’s evaluation of the aspect of society the author of “The End of Solitude” is exploring, I’m mostly opposed to this view. The idea that the Internet and modern technology is pushing us towards never being alone or finding time to “connect with god” as Deresiewicz discusses early in the article is absolutely absurd. If anything, modern technology is leaving us more alone, settling for substitutes for real human contact more often than not.
Since a young age I’ve switched on the television when entering a room— I’ve used the TV to abate my fear of being alone. My mom tells me she uses the radio the same way. Recently, I’ve found that I can use the computer pretty effectively in this regard. To see this in practice in other’s lives, simply turn to Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr. The web is full of various manifestations of the “I’m bored/I’m lonely/ I wanna do something” status or comment. More often than not, the practie of posting such a comment is enough to quell the negative emotion.
People certainly use these technologies to connect and form relationships— hundreds or thousands of relationships— but the idea that these relationships somehow make us less solitary or put a stop to the practice of sitting in your bedroom with headphones in, just staring at the ceiling and thinking is ludicrous. As long as humans continue to express themselves in different ways, we will need solitude to “find ourselves” and really get back on track.
As part of an independent study this year, Dylan Crow and I are setting aside some time once a week to release stress and calm down by isolating ourselves in a room and emotionally letting everything out. In short, while I can obviously agree with the potential for a problem if humanity forgot the benefits of solitude and self-reflection, I simply don’t see the evidence for such a situation existing today. Teenagers and the electronically addicted are not spending more or less time taking advantage of our rights to privacy, we’re just using our social time in new ways, and while our new form of connection and socialization may seem to be replacing solitude, it isn’t. It’s replacing real connection.
William Deresiewicz is on the right track with his assessment of our modern afflictions, but he’s on the wrong side of the hurdle— we aren’t too social; we’re too alone and we’re becoming even more isolated. In a 2001 book, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of the American Community, author and academic Robert Putnam wrote,
Obviously, American society as a whole is participating in social events less and less if even our most popular sporting activity is becoming a game of isolation and self. It’s impossible to note modern technology as a casual agent of our fixation on being alone, but it would be silly to disregard the impact of something as remarkable, new, and pervasive as the web.
Just take a look at the facts, Mr. Deresiewicz, we’re more alone now than ever, even if your Facebook friends list tells you otherwise.
Since a young age I’ve switched on the television when entering a room— I’ve used the TV to abate my fear of being alone. My mom tells me she uses the radio the same way. Recently, I’ve found that I can use the computer pretty effectively in this regard. To see this in practice in other’s lives, simply turn to Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr. The web is full of various manifestations of the “I’m bored/I’m lonely/ I wanna do something” status or comment. More often than not, the practie of posting such a comment is enough to quell the negative emotion.
People certainly use these technologies to connect and form relationships— hundreds or thousands of relationships— but the idea that these relationships somehow make us less solitary or put a stop to the practice of sitting in your bedroom with headphones in, just staring at the ceiling and thinking is ludicrous. As long as humans continue to express themselves in different ways, we will need solitude to “find ourselves” and really get back on track.
As part of an independent study this year, Dylan Crow and I are setting aside some time once a week to release stress and calm down by isolating ourselves in a room and emotionally letting everything out. In short, while I can obviously agree with the potential for a problem if humanity forgot the benefits of solitude and self-reflection, I simply don’t see the evidence for such a situation existing today. Teenagers and the electronically addicted are not spending more or less time taking advantage of our rights to privacy, we’re just using our social time in new ways, and while our new form of connection and socialization may seem to be replacing solitude, it isn’t. It’s replacing real connection.
William Deresiewicz is on the right track with his assessment of our modern afflictions, but he’s on the wrong side of the hurdle— we aren’t too social; we’re too alone and we’re becoming even more isolated. In a 2001 book, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of the American Community, author and academic Robert Putnam wrote,
Between 1980 & 1993, the total number of bowlers increased by 10 percent, while league bowling decreased by more than 40 percent. ... Lest bowling be thought a wholly trivial example, I should note that...ninety one million Americans bowled at some point during 1996, more than 25% more than voted in the 1998 congressional elections.
Obviously, American society as a whole is participating in social events less and less if even our most popular sporting activity is becoming a game of isolation and self. It’s impossible to note modern technology as a casual agent of our fixation on being alone, but it would be silly to disregard the impact of something as remarkable, new, and pervasive as the web.
Just take a look at the facts, Mr. Deresiewicz, we’re more alone now than ever, even if your Facebook friends list tells you otherwise.