Comments on: book review | Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other

By: Social is a six letter word | WEBLOGSKY: Jon Lebkowsky's Blog

Social is a six letter word | WEBLOGSKY: Jon Lebkowsky's Blog — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:06:41 +0000

[...] of cyber-skepticism [sweeping] the US.” I haven’t read Turkle’s book. but RU’s review suggests an exploration of the disconnect between expectations of “social” media [...]

By: Extropia DaSilva

Extropia DaSilva — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 23:43:07 +0000

I would say embodiment is extremely important to the human psyche. In a Scientific American Mind article, Siri Carpenter asked ‘why do we look ‘up’ to those we respect, ‘stoop’ to the level of those we disdain and think ‘warmly’ about those we love? Why do we hide ‘dirty’ secrets or ‘wash’ our hands of worries? Why do we ponder ‘weighty’ subjects and feel a load ‘lift’ from our decisions? Why do we look ‘back’ on the past and ‘forward to the future’?” What we have here is A) the mind using the body to make sense of abstract ideas and B) concepts of past and future represented by a bodily code that includes directions of movement and perception in space. A body without a brain would be quite incapable of anything resembling human cognition.

By: DrSeanHays

DrSeanHays — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 18:39:02 +0000

I’m not entirely sure how important embodiment is to the human psyche, but I am certain it has some importance. I would point to the deep and indelible link between smell and memory as one example. A whiff of my wife’s favorite perfume, which she wore on our wedding day, instantly recalls memories of that experience. The smell of stargazer lilies drags up memories of lazy evenings in the backstreets of Lahaina, in late summer when the mangoes were falling in the street and rotting (it sounds unpleasant, but it isn’t for me). An essential component of human interaction takes place through smell, is that something we can psychologically afford to lose?

By: equsnarnd

equsnarnd — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:44:32 +0000

“Perhaps we will end up not alone together, but deeply connected… bots included.”
Perhaps. That is the hope. But I wonder what all this communication at a distance means if we lose the ability/capacity for touch. Touch causes a cascade of chemicals to be released that make us feel happy, content, connected. Losing this would be a great loss, indeed.

By: Tweets that mention Book review | Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less From Each Other | KurzweilAI -- Topsy.com

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 07:51:04 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by KurzweilAINews and joris van heukelom, Colby Stuart • QBBV. Colby Stuart • QBBV said: RT @KurzweilAINews: Book review: Alone Together – Why We Expect More from Technology and Less From Each Other http://bit.ly/gjmuLD Lonely? [...]