[15d] connection 🤳 (15)

together alone, virtually or irl?

ChatGPT: A woman in her late sixties stands in a softly lit room, holding an open purse. From inside the purse bursts a miniature Times Square scene: glowing billboards, crowds of tiny, translucent silhouettes, floating chat bubbles, and neon signs. Her expression is a mix of awe and longing. Outside the window behind her is an empty bench in soft twilight, suggesting solitude.

A woman in her late sixties describes her new iPhone: “It’s like having a little Times Square in my pocketbook. All lights. All the people I could meet.” People are lonely. The network is seductive. But if we are always on, we may deny ourselves the rewards of solitude.

—Sherry Turkle, Alone Together: Expecting more from technology and less from each other (2011)

Turkle was ahead of her time. Yes, I'm posting this in a space where I know most of you only through text, many through recorded video, and a few through live interaction.

Tools can be used to deepen the real-time and real-life interactions we have with others.

The tools don't talk back.

The tools don't hold grudges.

The tools don't have a bad day.

The tools can do work for us in ways that free up time for more meaningful things.

Beware when we lose connection with our fellow human, treating them like tools.

But at least in this space, I'm grateful for your time and attention, whether just a scroll past, or a like, or a comment. 🙏

---

[15d] black box 🏭 (14)