Clarifying Can You Hear Me Now? by Sherry Turkle

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When reading an article or journal, it can be complex and not fully understood by everyone. Because of this we would have to investigate meanings to be able to understand the full text. Sherry Turkle, a professor and current director of the MIT initiative on Technology and Self, in her 2007 Forbes article “Can You Hear Me Now?” she addresses the topic of technology and discusses society’s growing dependency and alienation as a result of it. Since Turkle wrote the article for an educated, mature and business oriented audience, some terms and ideas may need clarifying for the common reader. In her article, Turkle “offer[s] five troubles that try [her] tethered soul” (272). These are the effects that technology has on people. She discusses the Blackberry throughout the article, which is not concretely defined. In this paper, I will clarify Turkle’s references and terms for better understanding. One of Turkle’s focuses is on the BlackBerry, bus she lacks in describing what the device actually is. For younger and present audience, the Blackberry does not have the same usage and significance, compared to readers of that time and audience. From describing it we can better understand what is and the effects of it. The BlackBerry that Turkle is referring to is a wireless handheld communications device released in the early 2000’s. The significant of the device was that it “offer[s] cellular phone service, wireless e-mail capability, and Internet access” and “the new ‘smartphones’ took the business world by storm” (“BlackBerry”). The Blackberry is used to make the lives of the busiest people more efficient. The reason that she uses the Blackberry, rather than other communication devices, is due to its popularity at that time. The majori... ... middle of paper ... ...s the negative impact of technology has on us. She talks about the BlackBerry, its revolution and effect of alienation. With more clarification we are able to see that her use of these terms and vocabulary enhances her argument for readers of Forbes magazine. Technology, especially the BlackBerry is an evolution that changes how society interacts with each other. We are now able to better understand her point of how technology alienates us and make us be attached at the same time. Works Cited "Alienate." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2011. Web. 10 Oct 2011. "BlackBerry." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2011. Web. 09 Oct. 2011. . "Revolution." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2011. Web. 10 Oct 2011.

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