Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age 1st Edition

I consider myself very social media savvy (email, texting, Facebook, etc.) for my age; it's necessary to stay up with the grand kids. But this book opened my eyes to the rapid cultural revolution society is undergoing in how communication takes place among humans. I viewed emails and texting simply as tools (like meetings and phone calls) to get something done (schedule something or confirm a event). I graduated from college in 1969 believing that important communications needed to be face-to-face----no more. The young generations are losing their ability to communicate directly as electronic devices become ever more capable. Confront a young professional to have a face-to-face conversation and expect to see a perplexed look on their face. I now better understand some of the social feelings behind the texts exchanged with younger professionals and the grand kids.The book dragged a little with an over abundance of examples where texting is taking over human communications. Then I read the chapter about texting and modern romance --- wow. The World had definitely changed when serious relationships begin and end via email and texting. I asked the interns in my office about this and their comment was: "Yes, so what's new?"What we are seeing today is akin to what happened to humanity after the invention of the printing press in the 1400's. Resisting change is no longer an option; we must adapt or fail. This book puts this modern communication phenomena in perspective to early baby boomers like me.

This book provides research to support problems I’ve noticed in my middle school and high school classrooms over the past 10 years: 1) my students don’t seem very keen on building friendships with each other, 2) my students have a very hard time reading and expressing depth of thought (as compared to my students 10 or more years ago). Could this book be alarmist? I don’t think so; deficits in conversation are obvious whether you turn to the classroom, the workplace, or the home. Could this book be discouraging? Yes, but I think for me it provided some ideas of what to focus on in rebuilding lost skills (or skills younger folk never developed). 1) Cultivate unitasking!!! Unitasking allows your brain to do its best work! 2) Set clear expectations about what makes respectful classroom behavior and conversation. 3). Teach the importance of eye contact. Are there more useful suggestions? Absolutely, but as a teacher looking to guide students into more meaningful conversations, this is where I’ll begin.

I bought this book after enduring the last few years by witnessing our culture of digital zombies. I recently had a friend who has had the audacity to "apologize" to me via text message not once, but three times over the last couple of months. The fact that she finds it "normal" to do this sent me to an even deeper place of discouragement and despair about how insensitive our culture is. This book validated so many feelings I've been harboring about people being unable to carry on a conversation or have quality time with REAL people because they are brainwashed, controlled and entranced by the little (or big, I should say) rectangles they carry in their pocket. If you are so weary of people "phubbing" you, or preferring the virtual world in their devices over a real person (like you!), this is the book for you. I'm tempted to buy one for everyone I know. Maybe they will get the hint! I will be going back to a "dumb phone" soon. I am so excited and can't wait to further advocate spending time in the real world. Talk to people, folks! Don't text them, don't post garbage on "Fake-book" or "Insta-crap", just TALK!!! Well written book and I think this should be a required reading before anyone is allowed to graduate from high school or college. It would be enlightening read for these Millennial, entitled brats who can't put their phone down long enough to engage in real relationships or enhance their life.

This was quite possibly one of the worst books I've ever read.To start, there was no reason to have it be 360+ pages - reading it felt like so much content was just repeated. We get it - face-to-face conversations are needed, put down your phone. Turkle just spouts the same stuff in every chapter, every section.Organizationally, the book was a mess. Similar books like Cal Newport's 'Digital Minimalism' have structure and practices to implement, which I like. In contrast, while sections in this book are subdivided into smaller sub-sections, the titles have little connection. It really feels each section is 25 separate short articles combined.The entire 'Fourth Chair' segmented could have been left out. It's just not relevant. I've never heard of anyone seriously suggesting companionship robots. That seems more like something done by research teams in academia to prove concepts. Turkle even mentions being disappointed by an elderly-care robot replacing human connection - except she was the one who brought it into the nursing home in the first place as part of her experiments.You're better off just watching her TED talk if you want to know her thoughts on this. Which aren't even that good to begin with, but that's just an ideological disagreement.

This is a fascinating book that is both readable and stimulating. As an Internet Psychologist myself I am aware of the notions discussed in this book, but what I like is the approachable way in which this material has been written. Professor Turkle challenges our use of technology and makes us think about what we do. I like the "Goldilocks" analogy the book uses and the concept of one, two and three chairs to signify different communications styles. The recent research that the book uses also adds to its value, rather than going over well-trod ground. There is lots of theory and discussion in this book, but it also includes practical suggestions as to how we can benefit from proper conversation, in spite of the digital world we inhabit. This book will improve your communications as it will make you think about what you do and how you do it. More importantly, it might get us all talking to each other again, instead of constantly "messaging" each other. Go on - talk to someone about this book...!

Some of the basic principles she uses to define digital vs real conversation I do challenge as my life experience shows that as long as I actually talk (phone, video or in person) to someone I gain the benefits of conversation.It doesn't offer many solutions that feel actionable especially as we are dealing with the need for systemic change, but I hope that we will start to see more studies that show we need to address how we navigate technology with and for our children.

Dull, dull, dull. Lots of oooo smartphones stopping people talking to each other. I seem to have flashbacks from 1970s onwards same said about TV. Also this books length is a con - it should be just a long article, especially as the author repeats the same case studies. Needs a lot of editing.

As a fan of all of Sherry Turkle's previous books this latest was no exception, however toward the end I did feel that it reiterated a bit too much of her previous book Alone Together.

great insight into the life we now live due to technology and the pitfalls and advantages this has wrought upon us in conversation