Loving a Machine

Dear Ms. Turkle,

I found your piece both interesting and disturbing at the same time. To say the least, I agree with your opinions. Today’s society has become too engulfed in technology. As you look around you everyone has their cell phone glued to either their hands or ears or their headphones in to block out the world around them. You mention how Randy holds his Blackberry in his hand anxiously through his entire conversation with you. You also mentioned earlier in your piece how Ronnie’s roommate preferred to text her rather than go knock on her door which was no more than a mere 15 feet away. Not only is technology starting to take over, it is also diminishing face-to-face conversation and people’s manners. When individuals are having a face-to-face conversation with another human being they are usually more engaged with cell phones. As you said, people are genuinely terrified of being cut off from the ‘grid’. Instead of having an actual conversation they would much rather be conversing through technology. Not only is this reducing face to face conversation, it is also extremely rude. However, I am guilty of doing the same. I have been scowled at by my parents numerous times at the dinner table for being on my iPhone instead of conversing with them. 

What disturbed me about your piece was the part about “Love and Sex with Robots”. It is completely ridiculous that anyone would ever think that having a robot as a companion/partner could work, let alone be better than a relationship with an actual human being. And it was also completely ridiculous that he accused you of being against same sex marriage because you did not agree with humans marrying robots. Those are two COMPLETELY different things! Robots are not human beings. They do not show love or compassion nor do they feel it. Why would any prefer to be touched by a cold robotic hand than the warm sensation of real skin? I personally feel the author of that book is insane, and has become too obsessed with technology and forgot how to have their own real feelings so they need to rely on a machine to make them feel better. The day I think it is okay to be in a relationship with a robot will be the day pigs fly!

Yours Truly, 

Taylor Palehonki