Connected but Alone: Turkle at TED

***Please forgive me. This morning in class I thought it was Wednesday so I may have said this was due "tonight." This assignment is not due until Wednesday at Midnight. Sorry for the confusion.
 Mr Hodges 2-10-15 4:09 PM****

Everyone born under Adam hears whispers of lies in his soul. The lies say we are flawed, unforgivable, and unworthy of love. The Accuser has us in a courtroom. He presents every relationship and life experience as evidence that his lies are true. Authentic, life giving relationships with the Father, Son, and Spirit, and our neighbors are our defense. They testify Truth: We belong, we are loved, our Father is love, and his judgement is forgiveness.  

Turkle may or may not identify as a Christian, but she has certainly identified a key aspect of the human experience. In this age of unprecedented connectivity, are we experiencing authentic relationships? Are we connected but alone? 

I would like you to write a response to the Turkle's TED talk. If you have forgotten some details there is a transcription link at the bottom. I am looking for self-reflection- for you to be vulnerable with yourself and examine your pain, fear, and coping devices. 

I will not ask your classmates to read this blog. If you would like greater privacy, you may submit your response in a private Google doc. I do not think you could sufficiently engage with this assignment and respond with less than 250-300 words. You do not have to agree with Turkle's conclusions. If you critique her presentation, provide personal evidence to back it up. Feel free to take liberties with the questions if contemplation guides you down a different path. They serve as a guide.

"We use conversations with each other, to learn how to think about ourselves. When we lose our capacity for conversation, we lose our capacity for self reflection."
Can you remember a time in your life where you felt particularly aware of your inner world?
Did it feel pleasant or painful? Was it a mix of both?
On a scale of 1- 10 how would you rank your awareness of your inner world?
Can you think of a recent experience where you used a phone or device to escape grief, anxiety, etc?
How did that work out for you? 

"[Our devices] don't only change what we do, they change who we are."
"We expect more technology and less from each other." 
Do You agree? 
Do your "sips" of online communication add up to one big "gulp" of communication?
How can texting, tweeting, etc. be used to gain intimacy in a relationship? What are the limitations?

Turkle stated that we are allured by three lies-
1.) We can put our attention wherever we want it to be.
2.) We will always be heard.
3.) We will never have to be alone.
Which of these lies can you here whispering in your soul?
How will believing that lie be destructive to your well being? 

". . .  the moment that people are alone, even for a few seconds, they become anxious, they panic, they fidget, they reach for a device. Just think of people at a checkout line or at a red light. Being alone feels like a problem that needs to be solved. And so people try to solve it by connecting." 
Does this sound familiar? 
What are we running from? 
Why are we so uncomfortable with ourselves? 

Do you have a "sacred space" where it is safe to be alone? 
Are you comfortable with the idea, is does it sound too intimidating? 
What can we do to silence the fear?
What has Christ done to silence our fear?
What can we do to help others with this issue? 

"For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not counting people's sins against them."
-2 Corinthians 5:19

Here is a link of the lecture transcription if you need a refresher. 

Here is the link to the video.